Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird today warned Iowans about an increase in jury duty scams, specifically from scammers claiming to be from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
In a jury duty scam, a con artist calls Iowans, falsely claiming to be law enforcement and accusing them of missing jury duty. The scammer will then use threats of arrest or extreme fines to scare and trick them into sending money.
In a case on Thursday, a central Iowa woman received a voicemail saying that she needed to call back because there was a civil case against her. When she returned the call, her phone’s caller ID showed she was contacting the “Polk County Sheriff’s Office.” In reality, she was talking to a scammer. The scammer claimed that he had receipts of when her jury summons had been delivered and asked why she was not there.
The woman became suspicious when the scammer used her maiden name—which changed five years ago—and began asking questions. The scammer hung up to “look into” the error and said that he would call the woman back. During that time, she searched the official number for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and realized that it did not match the number that called her. She confronted the scammer when he called back. He immediately pressured the woman by threatening to detain her and telling her that she will need to pay fines as part of the “civil process.” The woman hung up the phone and reported the scam to the Iowa Attorney General’s office.
“If something doesn’t seem right, be on guard,” said Attorney General Bird. “Con artists are deeply manipulative. They will twist anything and everything to swindle Iowans—even going as far as to impersonate law enforcement or turn a civic duty into a scare tactic. It is so important to always double check and never send money over the phone. Any Iowan suspicious of a scam should contact my office 1-888-777-4590.”
“My staff will never call and request money to avoid getting in trouble,” said Polk County Sheriff Kevin Schneider. “This scam, and others like it, have been victimizing people not just in Polk County but around the state. I want to encourage citizens to pay attention to these tips. Remember, law enforcement will never call and request money for missing jury duty or any other legal matter.”
Attorney General Bird released the following tips for Iowans to protect themselves from jury duty scams:
- Know How Jury Duty Works: If you miss jury duty in Iowa, you will receive an official notice by mail, not by phone or email.
- Never Send Money or Personal Information Over the Phone: If someone is pressuring you to send money, it’s a scam. Law enforcement will not ask someone to send money over the phone.
- Beware of Spoofed Phone Numbers: If you are suspicious of a call, hang up and call back at an official and verified number you found yourself. Do not call a number the scammer provides.
- Double Check: If something does not seem right, double check. Contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office or law enforcement to verify the call.
- Avoid Pressures to Act Immediately: Scammers will always try to get you to act quickly. Beware of anyone pressuring you to act urgently.
- Be Cautious of Anyone Asking to Keep it a Secret: Scammers will usually tell you to keep the conversation a secret. That is a major red flag of a scam.
Any Iowan who is suspicious of a jury duty scam should immediately contact the Iowa Attorney General’s Office at 1-888-777-4590 or online at https://www.iowaattorneygeneral.gov/for-consumers/file-a-consumer-complaint.
