Jury Duty Scam

2023-12-12 11:50 AM

Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro and Sheriff Kandy Fatheree warn residents about an uptick in scam calls involving jury duty service. Recent scam calls have involved the common ruse that the resident has failed to appear for jury duty service and must now pay a fine or post a bond to avoid arrest or jailtime.

Recently, some scammers have requested that individuals pay such a fine via Bitcoin and have even shared infographics about judges who accept cryptocurrencies to further coerce residents. Please note that Summit County government offices do not ask for and will not accept payments in cryptocurrencies.

Scammers may call residents claiming to be Sheriff’s Office deputies, possibly using the names and ranks of actual employees. Scammers often “spoof” phone numbers associated with the Sheriff’s Office, so it appears that the call is coming from a real Sheriff’s Office phone number. Scammers may insist residents will face consequences such as fines, arrest, or jail time if they hang up the phone to coerce residents to make payments while the call is ongoing.

If you receive a call like this, it is important to take a moment to pause and hang up the phone. Even if the suspected scam call appears to come from a number associated with the Sheriff’s Office, hang up and call the Sheriff’s Dispatch by dialing (330) 643-2181 to verify the call’s legitimacy.

Please remember, the Sheriff’s Office does not call residents to notify them of outstanding warrants or unpaid fines, nor do they issue warrants for missing a jury summons. No government agency will ask you for payments with pre-paid credit cards, gift cards, cryptocurrencies, or other similar forms of payment.