Jury Duty Scam Elicits Warning From Loudoun County Sheriff, Courts

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A jury duty scam is targeting Loudoun County residents. Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman and Gary Clemens, the Clerk of the Loudoun County Circuit Court, warned residents about the scam on Thursday.

Several Loudoun residents have reported the scam this week. The extortion attempt involves a person pretending to be a Loudoun County deputy, authorities said. The fake deputy tells the victim that there is a warrant for their arrest for failing to appear for jury duty.

The scammer then informs the victim that they can avoid the arrest by paying a fine.

" The jury duty scam works on the victims' emotions," Sheriff Chapman said in a news release. "These thieves use the appearance of authority and prey on a person’s fears in hopes that the victim will be more willing to provide the money."

Authorities said no law enforcement or court official in Virginia would collect fines like this. If a resident does fail to appear for jury duty, they will receive written notice from the court informing them what actions they should take.

"Jury service is an important civic duty," Clemens said. "We do not want potential jurors to be intimidated or discouraged to serve as jurors by individuals who use these deceitful tactics to extort money from unsuspecting citizens."

Anyone who believes they were a victim of the scam can contact the sheriff's office by calling 703-777-1021. Victims can also file a police report online.

The Federal Trade Commission outlines several tips on their website to help residents avoid scams. Some of the tips include:

• Block unwanted calls and texts
• Don't give personal or financial information to a request you weren't expecting
• Resist the pressure to act immediately
• Know how scammers tell you to pay, usually through a wire service or through gift cards
• Stop and talk to someone you trust