OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam threatening arrest for failing to appear for jury duty.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said two complaints were reported Monday (April 25) involving a scammer impersonating a sheriff’s deputy.
Bouchard said in both incidents, the people turned themselves into authorities, thinking they really were under arrest.
“They didn’t know what they had done wrong, and they had done nothing wrong,” said Bouchard.
Both people were told they had a warrant out for their arrest for failing to appear at federal jury duty.
In one of the incidents, the caller demanded the person pay a $5,000 bond to avoid arrest.
Bouchard said neither of the people paid the scammer any money. However, there could be more victims out there.
“We have no way of knowing how many were hung up on and, tragically, how many may have paid them,” Bouchard said. “Because this is a very common thing, and many people are getting these calls every day and paying them.”
When it comes to scam calls, Bouchard has the following advice.
“These scams are nonstop with one common thread,” Bouchard said. “They always demand money over the phone in some form or fashion. No law enforcement agency would do that. Whether they say it is the Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the IRS, or whatever the flavor of the day is, it is a scam! Hang up.”
Officials say the court would never contact someone by phone for failing to appear for jury duty. Instead, they send the notice by mail.
