Court officials are warning Alameda County residents against a scam involving individuals falsely claiming to be representatives of the Superior Court or law enforcers, targeting their victims in relation to jury duty.
Alameda County Superior Court officials said scammers present themselves as government agents and ask for personal and financial information from residents under the guise of a jury or grand jury service. They will claim that their victims missed their jury duty date and owe the court a fee for the missed appearance.
“To be clear, the Superior Court of Alameda County will never contact a resident over the phone to seek personal or financial information and California law does not permit residents to pay a fine in lieu of jury service. A fee may be assessed for missed service, but a resident would still be required to reschedule jury service, and the Court or law enforcement agency would never collect the fee via a phone call,” the court said in the statement.
“The Court will never ask for information such as your Social Security number, date of birth or any financial details,” the statement added. “If in doubt about a phone call, hang up and contact the Court separately to seek additional information.”
The Santa Clara County Superior Court recently warned residents to be aware of an increase in reported phone scams involving claims about jury service. Court officials said scammers are using sophisticated tactics, including sending manipulated images and impersonating court officers by reciting or showing fake badge numbers.
The public is advised to report any suspicious communication to local police or contact their local court’s jury office. If there is doubt about a caller’s authenticity, people are urged to contact the Superior Court directly.
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