Don’t Let a Fake Jury Duty Call Cost You

Imagine receiving a phone call from someone claiming you’re in serious legal trouble because you missed jury duty. They may say there’s a warrant for your arrest and demand immediate payment to avoid being taken into custody.

It sounds alarming – but it’s a scam.

Grand jury and jury duty scams continue to target people across the country, using fear and urgency to convince victims to send money or share personal information. Knowing what to look for can help you avoid becoming the next target

How the Scam Works

Scammers often impersonate law enforcement officers, court employees, or government officials. They may use caller ID spoofing to make it appear they’re calling form a local sheriff’s office or courthouse.

A scammer may claim you:

• Missed jury duty or grand jury summons.
• Failed to appear in court.
• Have an outstanding warrant for your arrest.
• Must pay a fine immediately to avoid jail.
• Are under a gag order by the judge – that if the gag order is broken, you’ll face harsher fines or imprisonment.

To make the call seem legitimate, they may provide fake badge numbers, case numbers, or even personal information they’ve found online.

Common Red Flags

If someone contacts you and does one or more of the following, it’s a strong indicator it’s a scam:

• Demands immediate payment to avoid arrest.
• Tell you to pay using wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
• Pressures you to stay on the phone while making the payment.
• Threatens arrest if you hang up or speak with anyone else, including your bank/credit union representative. They could mention a gag order to scare you more.
• Ask for sensitive, personal, or financial information over phone or email.

When in Doubt – Remember STOP:

• Sender – Verify the sender’s identity
• Tone – Look for urgent or alarming language
• Offers – Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true
• Phishing – Be wary of links that look odd or being asked for personal information

STOP is a quick and easy way to go through possible scam/fraud scenarios. If one or more of these seem off, it’s a high probability it’s a scam.

What To Do If You Receive One of These Calls

If you think the person contacting you is a scammer:

• Hang up immediately, do not answer the email or click on a link in the email.
• Do not send money or provide personal information.
• Contact your local court, sheriff’s office or police department using a phone number or website you find independently – not one provided by the scammer.
• Tell your financial institution if you shared account information or sent money.

What Happens If You’ve Already Sent Money?

If you think you are a victim of a scam:

• Don’t be afraid or embarrassed – scams and fraud happen often, and we are here to help you.
• Contact your financial institution immediately – the sooner you let them know, the easier it is to help you with your accounts and loans.
• Change passwords if you shared login credentials.
• Monitor your credit – enroll in our free Credit Score Solution within our digital banking and review your credit score and report periodically. You can also receive free credit reports once a year from annualcreditreport.com.
• If you think someone might be using your personal information – you can report it at ftc.gov.
• Report the scam to local law enforcement.

Key Things to Keep in Mind:

• Heritage Grove will never call, email or text asking for sensitive information, such as:

• Login credentials
• PIN
• Full SSN
• Debit/Credit card numbers
• CVV code
• Code Word

• Always access digital banking from Heritage Grove’s website or mobile app.
• Be suspicious of communications asking for sensitive information – don’t provide personal information.
• Create a unique code word with family or friends that is only used for emergency situations.

Stay Alert. Stay Protected.

Scammers are constantly changing their tactics, but one thing remains the same – they want you to act before you think.

We know that it can be stressful in the moment and if you forget STOP or anything else, remember that your financial institution is here for you. Even if the caller is telling you not to talk to us or that we are doing something shady with your money, trust that we have your best interest in mind.

Staying informed is one of the strongest defenses you have.

Questions? Call/text 503.588.0211 or email creditunion@ourgrovecu.com.

Read more fraud prevention posts:
Stolen Identity: How to Protect Yourself & Spot Warning Signs
Fraud Unmasked: How to Recognize and Avoid Common Scams
How to Protect Yourself from AI Scams