In a news release sent Friday, Bird warned of an uptick in false calls from scammers attempting to trick potential victims into thinking they have missed jury duty, threatening fines or arrest if they don't comply. According to the news release, there are scammers specifically pretending to be from the Polk County Sheriff's Office. These calls, however, are fake β Polk County Sheriff Kevin Schneider says he and his staff will never request money over the phone in order to avoid getting into trouble.
Remember, law enforcement will never call and request money for missing jury duty or any other legal matter. The news release from the Attorney General's Office said a central Iowa woman was the recent target of a jury duty scam β but she became suspicious when the scammer used her maiden name, which she had changed years prior.
The woman had gotten a voicemail saying she had missed her jury summons β so she called back. The caller ID showed she was contacting the Polk County Sheriff's Office, but after the scammer hung up to look into the "error" of using her maiden name, she searched and found the number was not the Polk County Sheriff's Office. She confronted the scammer once he called back, but they "immediately pressured the woman by threatening to detain her and telling her that she will need to pay fines as part of the 'civil process,'" according to the release.
They will twist anything and everything to swindle Iowansβeven going as far as to impersonate law enforcement or turn a civic duty into a scare tactic. It is so important to always double-check and never send money over the phone. The Attorney General's Office gave tips on how to spot a jury duty scam and how to protect yourself:. If you miss jury duty in Iowa, you will not receive a phone call, but rather an official notice through the mail. If someone is asking you for money over the phone, it is likely a scam β law enforcement will not ask for payment over the phone.
Verify the number the scammers are using β often, it is not the actual phone number of an official. If the caller tells you the conversation is a secret and you should not tell anyone, it is likely a scam. If you believe you are the target of a jury duty scam, contact local law enforcement. You can also file a complaint with the Attorney General's Office online or call Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register.
