RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN — A frightening scam nearly cost a Rutherford County man $13,000, after two criminals posing as sheriff’s supervisors convinced him he was about to be arrested for allegedly missing federal jury duty. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office reported the man told them, “I was terrified.” The victim also said, “They were very, very convincing.” According to the sheriff’s office, the scammers told the man he had been charged with failure to appear and contempt of court, claiming a warrant was already issued for his arrest. To heighten the pressure, they told him he was under a gag order and was not allowed to contact anyone.
The scammers then ordered the man to withdraw $13,000 in cash from his bank and deposit the money into a kiosk as bail to prevent immediate arrest. They falsely promised the money would be returned within 30 to 90 days. Throughout the call, the man was ordered to stay on the phone so he could not seek help. Too frightened to hang up, the man quietly texted his wife. She immediately told him it sounded like a scam. He then hung up the phone and contacted the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, preventing the loss of any money.
The Sheriff’s Office quickly issued a warning to the public, reminding residents that deputies DO NOT call citizens about missed jury duty and do not demand money over the phone. If someone is truly wanted for a crime, deputies will arrest them in person, not by phone…