Con Artists Claim to be Oakland County Deputies in 'Green Dot' Scam

Criminals posing as officers with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and the Troy and Farmington Hills police departments have been calling residents in the past couple of days telling people how to avoid jail by paying fines they supposedly owe for failure to appear for jury duty.

The scam is similar to one that made the rounds last spring, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a news release. At the time, the police department received multiple complaints from citizens receiving phone calls from suspects claiming to be Oakland County 6th Circuit Court or Oakland County Sheriff’s Office employees.

The caller sclaim that a warrant has been issued for the call taker’s arrest for failure to appear for jury duty. The suspects instructed the call taker to pay the fine with a pre-paid Green Dot Visa Card to clear the warrant.

The suspects provided an alternate number for the call taker to obtain verification. When this number was called for confirmation, the phone was answered “Warrants Unit” and claimed to be specific Sheriff’s Office employees which perpetuated the scam.

If anyone receives a call requesting money from a court or sheriff’s office employee regarding fees for failing to appear for jury duty, they should immediately contact local law enforcement and under no circumstances make any payments.

“Anytime you receive an intimidating phone call from someone claiming to be in a position of authority and they are demanding money, always report the incident to local law enforcement,” Bouchard said. “Scam artists and unscrupulous persons looking to dupe honest people out of their hard earned dollars are always hard at work trying to trick honest people. If you suspect you are being scammed, there is a very good chance you are. Trust your instincts and report suspicious behavior to your local authorities.”

Residents receiving these types of phone calls can contact their local law enforcement agency or the Sheriff’s Office at (248) 858-4911.

Questions regarding jury duty service can be directed to the Oakland County Jury Office at (248) 858-0029.

Additional information regarding jury duty service is available on the Circuit Court website.