The FBI Atlanta Division has issued a warning to the public regarding a telephone scam targeting residents of Georgia. The scam involves fraudulent calls claiming that individuals have failed to report for jury duty.
During these calls, scammers impersonate law enforcement officers or officers of the court, alleging that the recipient has neglected their jury duty obligation. The caller may employ threats of criminal prosecution or jail time to intimidate victims. In an attempt to avoid purported arrest, the scammer solicits immediate payment of a fine, often requesting sensitive financial information or suggesting the purchase of prepaid cards such as Green Dot cards or gift cards for payment.
To lend credibility to their scheme, scammers may provide details such as titles and badge numbers of legitimate law enforcement officers or court officials, names of federal judges, and addresses of courtrooms. Additionally, they may manipulate caller ID information to make it appear as though the call is originating from a legitimate source, such as the Court or a government agency.
Individuals need to exercise caution and skepticism when receiving unsolicited phone calls, particularly those requesting personal information or payment. The FBI advises against providing any sensitive information or monetary transactions to unknown callers. Courts typically communicate with prospective jurors via U.S. Mail and do not request payment or personal identifying information over the phone or via email.
To avoid falling victim to such scams, the FBI recommends several precautions:
Be wary of unsolicited phone calls.
Refrain from providing money or personal information to unfamiliar callers.
Trust your instincts and terminate the call if you feel pressured or uncomfortable.
Verify the authenticity of any claims made by unknown callers with the appropriate law enforcement agency or court officials.
Individuals who receive fraudulent calls regarding jury duty are encouraged to report them, along with any pertinent information such as caller descriptions and caller ID details, to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov .
In other news,
An Athens woman lost $26,500 after she purchased gift cards that she provided to a telephone caller who convinced her she would otherwise be jailed on an immigration violation.
The 30-year-old woman, who has an advanced degree from the University of Georgia, reported the loss on Feb. 16, but the report was not released by Athens-Clarke County police until this week.
The woman, who is originally from Asia, told an officer that she was contacted by phone by two women, who advised her of an immigration warrant that needed to be paid or she was going to jail. advanced degree from the University of Georgia, and still fall for this scam. Or did she have visa issue…
Report them. Yeah, right. They're using a cloned phone number anyway. And that's why they want an untraceable gift card.