FORT BEND COUNTY, Texas – Fort Bend County residents are being targeted by a jury duty scam that has spiked in recent days, prompting county officials to issue renewed warnings and urge victims to verify any claims before sending money.
Fort Bend County District Clerk Beverley McGrew Walker said her office has been flooded with calls from anxious citizens who were told they missed jury duty and must immediately pay a fine to avoid arrest. “Our Fort Bend County citizens are being scammed,” Walker said. “They’re getting phone calls, we are being told by people who call our customer service department. Phone calls from people asking them for money to pay a fine because they have missed jury duty—and that’s not the way it works.”
Bill Bobrick, a supervisor in the District Clerk’s customer service department, raised the alarm after being “in extreme shock” at how many people were calling each day about the same scheme. The increase is especially troubling, Walker said, because the office has been told some residents have already lost money to the scammers.
How the scam typically plays out
According to Walker, the calls often include threats that the sheriff will be sent to arrest the person unless payment is made immediately. The caller may ask for credit card details or instruct the victim to withdraw money and send it using whatever method the scammer demands…