Lowndes man loses thousands of dollars in scam

June 19—VALDOSTA — An old scam is making a comeback on the Internet and phone system, and at least one Lowndes County resident has suffered as a result, the sheriff said.

In the “jury duty” scam, victims are contacted by fake callers who attempt to impersonate law enforcement or court officers, warning them that the victim has not responded to a call. summoned for jury duty and that she risks a prison sentence if she does not pay a fine. giving the caller card numbers for prepaid debit cards (such as “Green Dot” cards) or bank account routing numbers. The same scam is rampant on the Internet.

“A person in Lowndes County lost $4,000 this way last week,” Sheriff Ashley Paulk said Monday. “They spoofed the phone number, but we think it’s from overseas.”

The sheriff's office does not attempt to locate missing lawyers by telephone, Paulk said.

“We don't operate over the phone; we show up at your home,” he said.

At the federal level, the US Marshals Service has also stated in web postings that it does not contact by telephone for fines.

The Marshals Service offers the following suggestions for those who think they may have been on the wrong end of a phone scam:

— Do not give financial or personal information (phone numbers, addresses) to an unknown caller.

— Report scam calls to the FBI and Federal Trade Commission. You can remain anonymous.

— Authenticate the appeal by calling the court office and verifying any court order requested by the appellant.

Paulk suggested that if someone is unsure about a phone call demanding payment of jury duty fines, that person should tell the caller to meet them — in the sheriff's office parking lot.

Terry Richards is the senior reporter for the Valdosta Daily Times.