By Staff
SAINT JOSEPH – The Berrien County Sheriff's Department Crime Prevention Unit along with the County Clerk"s office would like to notify residents in Berrien County about a possible identity theft scam involving jury duty questionnaires.
The court has received information about a jury duty scam. In this con, someone pretending to be a court official with Berrien County, calls and advises that you have failed to report for jury duty. The person then states that a warrant has been issued for your arrest. If you protest that you never received a summons, the caller to clear up the problem states that they will need some information for "verification purposes" – such as your social security number, date of birth or even a credit card number so he or she can verify the information and cancel the warrant. This is when you should hang up the phone. It is a scam.
The county clerk's office will never call you and ask for your personal information. All correspondence is done though the U.S. Postal service. The Berrien County Clerk's office sends prospective juror information in a envelope addressed to the person with a letter of instruction from the Office of the Clerk and also a questionnaire for you to fill out and return in a yellow envelope addressed to the Berrien County Jury Board.
Another twist on this scam is that the caller states this is an Emergency Call for a specific person. The caller states that they are with Berrien County and asks why they didn't report for jury duty. The victim states they never received a letter. The caller then states that a mass mailing was sent out and got lost, thus a lot of people missed the date they were to appear. The caller then states that another letter will be sent by certified mail.
Remember that the information that the Berrien County Clerk sends will have an information letter and questionnaire with a yellow return envelope sent through U.S. Postal service.
The scam 's bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and some may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation. The scammers quick response to clear up the situation is a credit card number to pay the fine and clear up the problem and your record.
Tips on how to avoid falling victim to "jury duty scams":
1. Court workers will never telephone you to tell you that you have missed jury duty.
2. Do not give out bank account, social security or credit card numbers over the phone if you didn't initiate the call.
3. Review and examine your credit card and bank account statements every month.
If you receive a jury duty call, hang up and contact the Berrien County Clerks office at 983-7111 ext 8231.