Wyoming Judicial Branch warns against jury duty scams

CHEYENNE (WNE) — The Wyoming Judicial Branch is alerting residents about an increase in jury duty scams reported in Wyoming.

These scams are similar to those occurring in other parts of the country.

Scammers are targeting citizens by impersonating law enforcement officers or court officials, claiming that people have missed jury duty and now face arrest unless they pay a fine immediately.

These fraudulent calls often use high-pressure tactics and may even spoof phone numbers to appear as if calls are coming from a legitimate court or police department.

The scammers typically call, text or email individuals, demanding payment or personal information to avoid legal action. They may claim that a warrant has been issued for the person’s arrest due to failure to appear for jury duty and pressure the individual into making a payment through untraceable means like gift cards, wire transfers, or even cryptocurrency.

The Wyoming Judicial Branch emphasizes that it does not use these methods to contact citizens and will never demand payment over the phone for missed jury service or other court-related matters.

Be suspicious of any phone calls, emails or texts from “law enforcement” or “court officials” that:

• Ask for financial information; and/or
• Threaten jail for failure to comply with a demand for funds; and/or
• Demand payment of funds anywhere other than a clerk of court’s office.

Jury duty is a civic responsibility, and notification of jury service will always come through official communication channels and never in the form of a phone call demanding immediate payment.

Suspicious calls should be reported to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission’s website.

This story was published on October 26, 2024.