Peninsula court officials and law enforcement officers are warning the public against scammers attempting to collect bogus fines for missed jury service.
Santa Clara County Superior Court and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office issued separate warnings saying scammers claim that an unsuspecting victim owes a penalty for neglecting jury duty or a federal grand jury appearance.
“The Sheriff’s Office will never call to demand payment or threaten arrest related to jury duty or any other legal matter,” deputies said on social media.
“While official court personnel may contact you by telephone, they will never ask for personal information,” the court said in a news release, such as might be used for Apple Pay or PayPal.
Some scammers “have been known to provide fake badge numbers and utilize Photoshopped images to create an illusion of authenticity,” the court said. “Individuals may genuinely believe they have missed a court appearance and owe money as a result.”
The court and the Sheriff’s Office both said not to provide any personal or financial information to anyone claiming to be a court official or law enforcement officer over the phone.
Anyone who gets such a call should contact the fraud unit of their local police department immediately and the County of Santa Clara’s jury office, the court said.