$1.4 million already lost in jury duty scams this year in South Carolina county, sheriff warns

SPARTANBURG COUNTY, SC (WLOS) — Some upstate South Carolina residents are losing thousands of dollars, totaling more than $1 million, as a result of jury duty fraud.

A release from the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office says that since May 22, 2024, there has been a “sudden increase in missed jury duty scams.”

So far, one person has lost $7,200 and another $30,200. In total, since the beginning of 2024, scams have caused Spartanburg County citizens to lose approximately $1.4 million.

How the scam works

The sheriff's office says scammers have been calling residents, falsely posing as law enforcement, often providing names accompanied by badges and case numbers.

The scammers then tell the person they called that they must pay money for each jury day they missed or risk being arrested. The scammer then tells the person to go to a Bitcoin kiosk to send money “which is promised to be returned when the victim shows up at the sheriff's office after sending the money,” the scammer says. communicated.

$50,000 STOLEN IN FAKE MICROSOFT WORKER SCAM, POLICE SAYS

“The Sheriff's Office will never ask the citizens of Spartanburg County to pay money to the Sheriff's Office for failing to fulfill their jury duty,” Thursday's statement said. “Additionally, Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office personnel will under no circumstances ask citizens to respond to cryptocurrency ATMs to pay money for any reason.”

Officials say it is very unlikely that money lost in these types of scams will be recovered.

“Additionally, because the scams are so sophisticated and usually originate overseas, it is difficult to identify and prosecute their perpetrators,” the sheriff's office said.

This is not a new scam

The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office says this “new version of these already existing scams is another addition to the many types of scams already plaguing” county residents.

According to Judicial Branch of North Carolina, elderly residents are often targeted by these scams. Often, these scammers use the real names of public officials and details about the person they are calling obtained from a public source.

Sometimes scammers keep people on the phone to get as much personal information as possible.

SCAM ALERT: Haywood County Sheriff's Office Warns of Fraudulent Jury Calls

“In fact, according to North Carolina law the penalty for disobeying a jury summons is currently $50 for each time a juror fails to appear,” the NC Judicial Branch website states.

How to avoid being cheated

State officials suggest the following to protect yourself from scammers:

• If you receive such a call, hang up without providing any information about yourself or taking any action. Trust your instincts. If you are not satisfied with the call, hang up and do not communicate with the caller. You may be pressured to stay on the phone to purchase a money order, prepaid debit card, or gift card, but you should resist and hang up. If asked, please do not leave your home or place of work to meet the caller anywhere, including your local courthouse or sheriff's office.
• Report any suspicious calls (or emails) to the local sheriff's office. Victims can also report it to North Carolina Attorney General's Office or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
• You can confirm if you have been selected to be part of the jury or if you have not shown up by contacting the clerk of your county's superior court office.