Is the Jury Duty Scam real or a scam?

This is a confirmed scam. Do not click any links, do not provide personal information, and do not send money. This is a voice phishing scam.

What should I do if I received the Jury Duty Scam?

Do not respond or click any links. Block the sender, report the message as spam, and delete it. If it came via text message, forward it to 7726 (SPAM).

What if I already fell for the Jury Duty Scam?

Change your passwords immediately, contact your bank if you shared financial information, place a fraud alert on your credit, and file a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How do I report the Jury Duty Scam?

Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov, and your local law enforcement. If it impersonated a specific company, report it to that company as well.

Jury Duty Scam: Is It a Scam?

Medium Prevalence Type: Voice Phishing

Yes, this is a scam. Do not click any links or provide personal information.

Scammers call pretending to be court officials or law enforcement, claiming you missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued for your arrest. They demand immediate payment to avoid being arrested.

How This Scam Works

You receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a court clerk, sheriff's deputy, or federal marshal. They say you failed to appear for jury duty and a bench warrant has been issued. They sound official and may have your name and address. To 'resolve' the warrant without being arrested, they demand a fine paid immediately via gift cards, wire transfer, or prepaid debit card. They tell you not to hang up and may keep you on the phone while you go to a store to purchase gift cards. Some versions ask for personal information like your Social Security number to 'verify your identity.'

Red Flags to Watch For

Court systems do not call to demand payment for missed jury duty
Threats of immediate arrest unless you pay right now
Payment demanded via gift cards, wire transfer, or prepaid cards
Caller tells you not to hang up or contact anyone else
Real jury duty issues are handled through official court mail

Example Scam Messages

Phone call: 'This is Deputy Miller from the County Sheriff's Office. I'm calling because you failed to appear for jury duty on January 15th. A bench warrant has been issued for your arrest. You can resolve this today by paying a $1,500 fine. We accept payment by prepaid Visa or Target gift cards.' --- Phone call: 'This is the US Marshals Service. You are in contempt of federal court for failing to report for jury service. To avoid arrest, you must pay a fine of $2,000 immediately. Can you get to a Walmart in the next 30 minutes?'

What to Do If You Received This

Hang up immediately
Courts handle jury duty issues by mail, not phone calls
No court or law enforcement agency demands gift card payments
If worried, call your local courthouse directly using the number on their website
Do not provide personal information to the caller

What to Do If You Fell For It

Contact the gift card company with your receipt to attempt recovery
File a police report
Contact your bank if you wired money
Report to your local courthouse so they can warn others
Do not feel embarrassed; this scam is specifically designed to frighten people

How to Report This Scam

Report to your local courthouse
Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov
File a complaint with FBI IC3 at ic3.gov
Report to local law enforcement

Last updated: February 10, 2026