Just
when we thought we’d heard everything about identity
theft scams, another twist in the scam game has surfaced
and is quickly becoming widespread. Beware of the “Jury
Duty Scam,”
the latest in a series of identity theft scams targeting unsuspecting
victims over the telephone. So far, this scam has been reported
in Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Minnesota,
Maryland, Oregon, and Washington state. As of this writing, it
could have penetrated other states as well. Those who are educated
enough in the intricacies of identity theft know the steps to take
to protect their identity, but now the unwary and na_ve are being
tricked into giving their personal information over the telephone
to thieves who call themselves “court personnel.” This
scheme may be categorized as a “social engineering” scam,
a technique which preys on people’s unquestioning acceptance
of authority and willingness to cooperate. While this particular
attempt to coerce information for potential victims is not new,
it is very real.
The
scam is simple, yet extremely dangerous, and caution
must be taken if you or anyone you know falls victim.
These thieves call their victims at their homes or offices
claiming that they failed to report for jury duty, and
that a warrant has been issued for their arrest. Upon
hearing this horrible news, the victim is placed at an
immediate disadvantage, and is most likely to be shocked,
surprised, or caught off guard. The victim probably would
claim that he never received such a notice to appear
for jury duty or that it must have been mailed to a wrong
address. The scam artist may then reassure the victim
that this is all just a misunderstanding or that it is
some sort of clerical error, and that he only needs to “verify” the
victim’s personal information. The victim will
then be asked for his social security number, birth date,
bank account numbers, and sometimes even credit card
numbers—exactly what the scam artist needs to steal
the victim’s identity. If the victim is reluctant
to reveal such information, the scam artist may threaten
the victim, telling him that if he doesn’t provide
the information, the arrest warrant will be executed
immediately. Some of these calls can be quite frightening
and persuasive. Because of the seriousness of the charge
against him, the victim will undoubtedly become upset
and nervous and proceed to rattle off his personal information,
trusting that the person on the other end of the line
is who he says he is. Instead of thinking about the possibility
of getting his identity stolen, the victim is more concerned
about being arrested for not showing up for jury duty.
When the call is finished, most victims are left with
the impression that they failed to show up for jury duty
and are still obligated to fulfill their civic duties,
or that a big misunderstanding has been resolved. In
either event, what these unsuspecting victims don’t
realize is that their identity has just been stolen,
and their problems are only just beginning.
Much
is being done to alert the public about this assault
on personal identity. On August 22, 2005, the Minnesota
Judicial Branch issued a warning about these bogus calls,
and similar warnings started showing up in e-mail boxes.
In New Mexico, Representative Tom Udall has been warning
citizens about this scam, pointing out that federal courts
do not require anyone to provide sensitive information
over the phone and that they should never, ever do so.
The Superior Court of California has posted an alert
on its Web site, warning that identity thieves posing
as court officials have been making these calls to illicit
personal information, and that it is simply not true.
Although
this scam has been gathering attention since 2005, it
is not new. In September 2004, at least five citizens
of Franklin County, Ohio, had called the Franklin County
Municipal Court inquiring about where to report for jury
duty, saying that they received a call from someone from
the court asking for their personal information and saying
that they should have received a notice to appear. In
February 2004, residents of Charles County, Maryland,
were called by thieves who claimed to be assembling a
pool of jurors for selection in upcoming trials. In fact,
the Charles County Circuit Court does not telephone residents
who are selected for jury duty, but rather potential
jurors are sent notices in the mail.
How
do you avoid becoming a victim to jury duty scams?
1. Always
remember that legitimate court personnel will not call
you to tell you that you’ve missed jury duty or
that they are assembling jury pools. Dismiss all calls
like this as fraudulent. The only time you may hear from
court personnel regarding jury duty is after you have
mailed back your completed questionnaire, and even then
only rarely.
2. Do
not give out bank account, social security, or credit
card numbers over the telephone if you didn’t initiate
the call, whether it be someone trying to sell you something
or someone who claims to be a government or bank official.
If the caller insists upon verifying your information,
have him read your information to you so that you can
verify it, rather than the other way around.
3. Examine
your credit card and bank accounts every month, keeping
a close eye on anything that was not authorized by you.
4. If
you receive one of these calls, get the caller’s
name and phone number, if you can. Then report the call
to your local circuit court jury coordinator immediately.
The court will report the incident to law enforcement.
For regularly updated articles about protection from identity
theft, go to http://spyware-information.com/articles_1.html.
