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Subpoena, Warrant, and Jury Phone Scams

Jury Summons Scams
Federal Warrants and Subpoena Scams
Real Estate Transaction Scams

Citizens are being targeted by scam phone calls or emails related to having federal warrants for ignoring a federal jury summons or subpoenas. The phone calls use Chief Judge Brian C. Wimes’ name and demand money be paid or threaten them with fines or jail time for failing to comply with the subpoena or jury service summons in the federal or state courts. These calls are not connected with the United States Courts and should be deemed fraudulent. Persons receiving such a telephone call should not provide funds or any other requested personal information and should notify the FBI in their area. To report a phone scam go to the FBI’s website at https://www.ic3.gov

Common Scam Traits:

Scams often involve one or more of the following tactics:

  • Some callers claim that the recipient missed jury service or failed to respond to a summons previously signed
  • Some callers direct the recipient to appear immediately before the judge at the courthouse or will email you documentation to sign
  • The caller demands immediate payment to avoid arrest, fines, contempt proceedings or other penalties
  • The caller directs the recipient to pay by prepaid card, wire transfer, mobile payment application, cryptocurrency or gift card
  • The caller uses spoofed phone numbers, official-sounding titles (County Sheriff or Sargeant) or publicly available court information to appear credible
  • The caller pressures the recipient to act immediately and discourages independent verification and may sound intimidating (keeping you on the phone call)

Courts do not demand payment by telephone, text message, email or mobile payment applications to resolve warrant, subpoena or jury-related matters.

Courts do not instruct individuals to purchase gift cards, use cryptocurrency or transmit funds to avoid arrest or penalties for warrant, subpoena or jury service issues.

Members of the public who receive suspicious communication should not provide personal or financial information and should independently contact the court at an official phone number listed on the court’s public website.

Jury service is a vital civic responsibility and should be taken seriously by all citizens. However, it is a crime for anyone to falsely represent themselves as a federal court official. The federal judiciary takes seriously such an offense.
 

Real Estate Transaction Scams

Citizens are being targeted by scam phone calls related to real estate transactions and are being directed to pay a fee or a subpoena/arrest warrant would be issued. These calls are not connected with the United States Courts and should be deemed fraudulent. Persons receiving such a telephone call should not provide funds or any other requested information and should notify the FBI in their area. To report a phone scam go to the FBI’s website at https://www.ic3.gov