The U.S. Marshals Service issued a warning Friday about a telephone scam involving jury duty.
Posing as U.S. Marshals or other law enforcement officers, scammers call victims and tell them they can avoid arrest for missing federal jury duty by paying a fine immediately, according to a news release.
Scammers often provide information like the titles and badge numbers of legitimate law enforcement officers, names of federal judges and courtroom addresses. Scammers may even make their phone numbers appear on caller ID as if from a court or government agency.
Federal courts and U.S. Marshals do not call prospective jurors and ask for money or personal identifying information over the phone. The public is advised not to give money or personal information after receiving a similar call.
Victims of "jury duty scam" phone calls should report it to a local U.S. Marshals or FBI office, with any available caller ID information. Jury duty scams, identity theft or other schemes can also be reported online with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
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