Jury Duty Scam Dupes Ashburn Man

ASHBURN, VA — An Ashburn man fell victim to a familiar jury duty scam last Friday in the 22000 block of Leanne Terrace, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office. He contacted police after realizing he had been duped.

The victim told police he received a call from a person who identified himself as "Sergeant Jackson from the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office." He says he was told he missed his jury duty date and that there was a warrant for his arrest. So naturally, he was instructed to buy MoneyPak cards and then provide the numbers to the caller.

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He then was told to come to the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office to obtain his court date. When he arrived, no one was there to meet him. That's when it hit him that he had been scammed. The FBI has tips to avoid the jury duty scam:

"The scam’s bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation.

“They get you scared first,” says a special agent in the Minneapolis field office who has heard the complaints. “They get people saying, ‘Oh my gosh! I’m not a criminal. What’s going on?’” That’s when the scammer dangles a solution-a fine, payable by credit card, that will clear up the problem.

"With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts."

Bottom line: If you get such a call, hang up and call police.

Image via Loudoun County Sheriff's Office