Multiple Sheriff's Offices Warn Widespread Jury Duty, Extortion Scam Calls

Multiple sheriff's offices across the United States are warning the public about ongoing phone scams involving impersonation of law enforcement officials. These scams often claim victims have missed jury duty or owe fines, demanding payment through digital methods such as Zelle, Venmo, Bitcoin, or gift cards, and sometimes threatening arrest or additional charges if victims do not comply. The Solano, Staunton, and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Offices have all clarified that they do not request payments over the phone or threaten legal consequences in this manner. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office highlighted a specific extortion scam targeting individuals on the sex offender registry, where callers falsely demand DNA samples or money. Additionally, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office warned about extortion scams involving impersonation of violent drug cartels, which use personal information and graphic threats to intimidate victims into sending money. Law enforcement agencies advise individuals to hang up immediately, avoid sharing personal or financial information, verify suspicious calls with their local sheriff’s office, and report scams to authorities.