Scam Examples Secria

The jury duty scam call

A caller says you missed jury duty and will be arrested unless you pay a fine now. Hang up: courts don't demand payment over the phone.1

+1 (202) 555-0136

Voicemail transcript

This is Deputy Carter with the U.S. Marshals Service. You missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued for your arrest.1 To avoid arrest today, pay the fine now2 by payment app or cryptocurrency.3 I'll text you a copy of the warrant.4

  1. A missed jury duty and a warrant. Callers pose as a U.S. Marshal or local police, and may know your name and address.1
  2. Pay now or be arrested. Officers won't call to say they're going to arrest you.1
  3. A payment app or crypto. Only scammers insist on these, gift cards or wires.1
  4. A warrant by text or email. "Real law enforcement will never text or email you an arrest warrant."1

What to do Hang up and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. To check, call the court yourself on a number from its official site.1,2

Rebuilt from the FTC's June 2026 alert; the name and number are made up. Checked 29 October 2026 against the sources.

How it plays out

The FTC described this version in June 2026.1

  1. The call.Someone posing as a U.S. Marshal or a local police officer says you missed jury duty and must pay a fine or be arrested.1
  2. The "warrant".A text or email follows with an official-looking arrest warrant and the amount you supposedly owe.1
  3. The payment.They want it by payment app or cryptocurrency, today.1

What real courts do

The federal courts and the FBI say the same thing in different words.

They write

"Most contact between a federal court and a prospective juror will be through the U.S. mail." Courts do not require sensitive information in a phone call or email.2

A real summons or notice comes on paper.

They don't collect by phone

No government agency demands payment over the phone.1 Officials never ask for payment by prepaid card, cryptocurrency or courier, and real authorities don't phone or text people to demand payment.4

Check with the court's clerk, on a number you find yourself.2

If you got one

  1. Don't give personal information or money, and don't agree to meet anyone.3
  2. Call the clerk of court for your area to check. The federal courts' Court Finder lists their numbers.2
  3. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.1 The Northern District of New York also asks people to tell the FBI through its online tip form.3 Where to report each kind of scam
  4. If you already paid, call the company that moved the money today: your bank, the payment app or the crypto exchange.5

Questions people ask

Do courts call you if you miss jury duty?

Most federal court contact with jurors is by mail. Real court officials may call or email, but they won't ask for sensitive information.2 None will demand payment over the phone.1

The caller ID showed the police. Is it real?

Not necessarily. Scammers spoof real phone numbers and the names of agencies and their staff.4 Officers won't call to tell you they're about to arrest you, whatever the caller ID says.1

Can you be arrested for missing jury duty?

That depends on the court, so ask the clerk directly. One federal court, the Northern District of New York, says it "will not issue an arrest warrant for failure to appear for jury duty".3

They knew my name and address. How?

The FTC says these callers may already know your full name or address. Knowing it doesn't make them real.1

More scam examples

Sources 5
  1. Ignore calls, texts, and emails threatening to arrest you for missing jury duty (11 June 2026), Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice. Read 29 October 2026.
  2. Juror scams (undated page), United States Courts. Read 29 October 2026.
  3. Warning: juror fraud (undated page), U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York. Read 29 October 2026.
  4. Scammers Impersonating Law Enforcement and Government Officials in Fraud Schemes (I-091726-PSA, 17 September 2026), FBI IC3. Read 29 October 2026.
  5. What To Do if You Were Scammed (June 2026), Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice. Read 29 October 2026.

Every example is rebuilt from an official alert and made safe, and every source shows the day we read it. How we check