Don’t Fall Victim to This New Jury Duty Scam in Smith County, Texas
There is nothing worse than a thief. This person or persons believe it is their right to steal the property you have worked so hard for or take your hard earned money by deceiving you. It's devastating when it happens even when you've taken every precaution to prevent a theft. If there's one good thing about social media and the always connected world we live in, we can quickly know about a scheme to steal from us. The Smith County Sheriff's Office sent out an email letting us know of a jury duty scam going around Smith County, Texas. Here's how it's being carried out and how to avoid becoming a victim.
Jury Duty Scam
I'll go ahead and get the joke out of the way, jury duty is not a scam. When you get that card in mail, you need to attend or you could face some serious consequences. When I say a jury duty scam, I am talking about a person who calls you and says that because you missed jury duty, you need to pay money immediately to avoid any trouble. Smith County Sheriff's Office sent out an email letting everyone know of a person who will call you, say they are Chief Deputy John Garrison of the Smith County Sheriff's Office and say you missed a grand jury subpoena.
No law enforcement agency will ever call you on the phone demanding payment for any reason. - Smith County Sheriff's Office
Do Like This Person Did When They Got the Call
Luckily, the person that received this call knew it was a scam and immediately hung up. The citizen then reported the incident to the Smith County Sheriff's Office by calling 903-566-6600. If you receive a similar call outside of Smith County, just hang up and call your local authorities to report what happened. In this instance, Smith County Sheriff's Office contacted U.S. Marshall John Garrison and he said that his name has been used in other scams with one victim losing $60,000 in Bitcoin to it.
Informing Your Loved Ones
It's good to know this information so that you or one of your loved ones do not fall victim. A lot of the time, these phone scammers will target your parents or grandparents. Being the loving and law abiding people they are, they will feel this is a real thing and want to pay what is needed to clear their name. Let them know of these types of calls so they have the knowledge to not fall victim to these scumbags.
Hang Up and Report the Incident
If you receive a call like this, just hang up. Do not give them any personal information such as address, driver's license number, birthdate, credit or debit card information or anything else that can help identify you or allow access to your bank account. These scammers will use that information to steal your money and/or your identity. After hanging up, call your local authorities to report what happened.