Jury Scam

This is a type of scam in which you receive a call, text, or email from someone who claims to be an employee of the Clerk of Court (or other law enforcement official), warning that you failed to appear for jury duty or a court hearing. The bad actor then demands money from you. The scammer requests that you make a payment (often by ‘Green Dot’ reloadable debit card).

Clerk and Comptroller employees do not initiate unexpected contact with citizens to request payment by phone, email, or other means.

Protect Yourself: If you receive a phone call or email/text solicitation regarding jury duty, the solution is simple: Do not engage. Hang up the phone. Do not reply to the email or text message. Never give out your personal or financial information by phone, text, or email.

If you receive a court-related call and are unsure about it, call the Clerk and Comptroller's Jury Office at (941) 861-7800 for verification.

Protecting yourself against phone or email scams is simple:

• If you have been contacted by phone, hang up.
• If you have been contacted electronically (email or text), do not reply.
• A jury summons comes in the mail, not by email, text, or phone.
• If you did not receive a jury summons, ignore communication from anyone claiming to be contacting you about jury duty.
• We will not contact you by phone regarding failure to appear for jury duty.
• We will not phone, text, or e-mail you to request any type of payment.
• If someone asks you to pay with a gift card, it is likely a scam.
• Ignore requests for immediate action because scammers often try to get you to act before you think by creating a sense of urgency.
• Be wary of relying on Caller ID, as many numbers can be "spoofed" making a phone call look like it is coming from a legitimate source.
• If a caller threatens you, hang up.
• Unless you have initiated communication, do not provide your financial or other personal information over the phone or electronically.

If you receive a court-related call and are unsure about it, call the Clerk and Comptroller's Jury Office at (941) 861-7800 for verification.