KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Imagine getting a call stating you missed jury duty, so now you could get arrested unless you pay.
When I reached out to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office to ask about the scams they see the most, Sarah Boyd, public information officer, told me this isn't a new scam.
The sheriff's office has received multiple panicked phone calls, the most recent on Friday.
Boyd told me these scams can include someone calling and claiming to be with the sheriff's office, even sometimes using a real deputy’s name or other member of the department.
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They tell you that you missed jury duty and to avoid a warrant for your arrest, you need to pay a bond electronically.
"We don't call anyone who has a warrant, we show up,” Boyd said. “If we really need to get you in custody, we'll come find you, and so that is never going to happen. You're never going to be called and warned that you have a warrant. Also, the penalty for missing jury duty in Missouri is a fine, it's not arrest.”
The Clay County Sheriff’s Office provided KSHB 41 with a recording of when they called a scammer back last year. The recording was part of an investigation.
In the call, someone from the sheriff’s office posed as the intended target, and the alleged scammer asked them to pay thousands of dollars online.
Boyd told me they were not able to identify the person on the other end of the phone. Fortunately, the person who was originally called did not lose any money.
When in doubt, Boyd said you can call the Clay County Sheriff’s Office, which is what most people end up doing. However, she said there are a few people who fall victim to this each year, losing out on thousands of dollars.
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