The South Dakota Unified Judicial System (UJS) is alerting the public to a jury duty scam targeting individuals in central South Dakota.
The Stanley County Sheriff’s Office has received over 30 reports today of suspicious phone calls in which scammers falsely claim the recipient has missed federal jury duty and now has a $2,000 arrest warrant. The callers are instructing people to send money via Bitcoin at local convenience stores. One victim reported losing $4,000.
According to the UJS, the fraudulent calls are coming from various phone numbers, and the perpetrators are leaving callback numbers while falsely identifying themselves as being from the Stanley County Sheriff’s Office. In one instance, a scam email containing the official Stanley County Sheriff’s Office logo was also reported.
The UJS emphasizes that South Dakota courts do not contact prospective jurors by phone to demand money or personal information. Anyone receiving such a call or email should immediately hang up and refrain from providing any personal details or making a payment.
The UJS offers the following advice to help people avoid becoming victims of this scam:
- Be wary of unsolicited phone calls.
- Never provide money or personal information to individuals who initiate contact without being known to you.
- Trust your instincts; if a call sounds suspicious or the caller is pressuring you, hang up.
- If you have concerns about the legitimacy of a call, verify the information with the relevant law enforcement agency or court officials.
For more information about state jury duty in South Dakota, visit https://ujsjurors.sd.gov/. For information on federal jury duty, visit https://www.sdd.uscourts.gov/.
The South Dakota Unified Judicial System includes the Supreme Court, Circuit Courts, and the State Court Administrator’s Office.
You can read the full article at KXLG.