Every day, scammers are finding new and more plausible-sounding ways to trick and intimidate potential victims. From pretending to be the IRS to DTE to local courts, scammers go out of their way to sound professional and gain your compliance.
The latest con is known as the “Jury Scam.” You will get a call or voicemail message from someone claiming to be with local law enforcement, such as the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department or your local police department. They will claim any of the following:
You missed jury duty
You missed a court date
You have an outstanding ticket or warrant
You committed a criminal infraction
They will ask you to pay a fine immediately to avoid impending incarceration. Often, they ask for payment via Venmo or PayPal.
Most importantly, the call will come from what looks like a legitimate phone number-since advanced technology allows these offenders to mask their number to look valid.
Do not fall for this scam. Hang up immediately. Do not be intimidated or allow these predators to play on your fears.
No police agency will ever call you to ask for payment or funds over the phone. All police agencies, just like the IRS, will initiate this kind of contact via physical, usually registered, mail.
Community Relations Officer Heather Glowacz also states that the use of urgency is another mark of a scam. “These scammers will be pushy and demand instant action, or else. That’s a sure sign someone is trying to scam you.”
Stay informed via BTPD Crime Prevention and the Weekly Crime Report. And please contact BTPD with any questions at 248-433-7755 or Email BTPD.
Don’t assume scams just happen to other people. Be on alert and be ready. It can happen to anyone.