Jury Service Scam Alert: Mecklenburg County Warns Residents of False Messages and Threats

Fake Text message SMS scam or phishing concept. Man hands using smart phone

Mecklenburg County is warning residents of a jury service scam making the rounds. The Trial Court Administrator’s Office (TCA) at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse has received multiple reports a day of residents receiving suspicious calls, texts, or emails for failure to appear and threats of large fines or a warrant for arrest.

Residents are asked to hang up or ignore these calls, texts, or emails, and DO NOT provide personal information or payment.

In North Carolina, official jury summonses, as well as failure to appear notices, are always delivered to a resident’s home or post office box by first class mail. Court officials and law enforcement officers never make phone calls to threaten arrest or warn a resident of an impending arrest for failing to appear for jury service or any other infraction. The false calls often occur at night when courthouse offices are closed, which is a red flag. Also, caller I.D. can be manipulated to appear as a local or legitimate number. Scammers may ask for payments of hundreds or thousands of dollars. The actual penalty for disobeying a jury summons is currently $50 for each time a juror fails to appear.

“We want our residents to be aware so if they get one of these suspicious and threatening calls, they know it's a scam," said Sonya L. Harper, director of Mecklenburg County Criminal Justices Services. "While many people have heard of these scams and know to avoid them, some residents fall victim to the calls, texts and emails.”

Senior citizens are often targeted and particularly vulnerable to these scams, but anyone can be duped by the perpetrators. Scamming often relies on gift cards or wire transfers, and cryptocurrency transactions.

Contact: Any Mecklenburg County resident with concerns can confirm their jury service status by contacting the Trial Court Administrator’s Jury Management Office:

"Jury scams happen throughout the year,” said Casey Calloway, Trial Court administrator for the N.C. 26th Judicial District. “But this most recent spike seems to indicate that the scammers are paying attention to high profile court cases and mentioning them to give the appearance of added credibility.”  

Read about about jury service scams from the N.C. Courts.

Jury service is a civic duty in the United States, and any eligible resident may be asked to serve. It is a fundamental part of the American justice system. Learn about jury service in Mecklenburg County.