MAITLAND, Fla. – Law enforcement agencies across Central Florida are warning residents about fraudulent phone calls saying you missed jury duty and there is now a warrant for your arrest.
The scheme is to get you to send money you don’t owe.
Jennifer Bennett received a call from someone claiming to be an officer from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
“They told me I missed jury duty, and I had a warrant out for my arrest,” Bennett said.
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The call sounded real and made her anxious, she said
“He told me that I had a $20,000 bond, and I was able to pay 10% of it over the phone through Zelle,” she added.
The frequency of the calls has prompted Orange County Sheriff John Mina, Clerk of Courts Tiffany Moore Russell and Chief Judge Lisa Munyon to produce a public service announcement.
“Every week, criminals claiming to work for the court system or law enforcement call our residents threatening to arrest them for missing jury duty,” Sheriff Mina stated.
“This is a scam,” Judge Munyon emphasized.
Moore Russell clarified, “The clerk’s office will never contact you by phone or email demanding money or personal information.”
Similar alerts have been issued by officials in Seminole, Lake, and Volusia counties.
In Volusia County, callers are claiming that victims owe a traffic citation.
Bennett was startled by how much information the caller had about her.
“He had my full name, date of birth, and last three known addresses,” she recalled.
However, when the caller asked her to send $2,000 via Zelle, she said it was a red flag.
“Now if they had said, send it through my clerk or something like that, I probably would have sent the money,” Bennett said.
Remember, don’t fall for the scheme and don’t get ripped-off, but if you do, email us at theinvestigators@wkmg.com.