The Bloomington Police Department has warned local residents about a jury duty scam that appears to be legitimate because of caller ID spoofing.
The warning was posted Saturday and details why residents should ignore the calls and hang up if received. The scam begins with a phone call, notifying the recipient of an impending arrest because they did not report for jury duty, according to the post.
Then, to avoid arrest, the caller asks for payment of a fine via credit card, wire transfer or prepaid debit card and it has been reported that the caller also asks for Social Security number, date of birth and other personal information.
BPD advises anyone who receives the call to hang up immediately because notifications for jury duty and no-show summonses are delivered via U.S. mail, jury duty officials do not ask for personal information over a phone call, these scam calls are frequently occurring after official offices have closed and police officials will not call in advance of an arrest.
Holly Hays
