Don’t Fall for It: Texarkana Police Warn of “Missed Jury Duty” Phone Scam
A familiar scam is going around again in the Texarkana area. The Texarkana Texas Police Department wants to make sure we are all aware of this and what to do if we get a call like this.
Scammers are calling residents and claiming to be with the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office. They are trying to scare you. They start off by saying there is a warrant for your arrest because you failed to respond to a jury summons. They are sneaky because then they will even mention the name of a real judge or use official-sounding language.
Please remember that this is not the way jury duty or arrest warrants are handled. Law enforcement and the courts will never call you and demand payment, your personal information, or gift cards.
What to Do If You Get This Call From Scammers in Texarkana
If you receive one of these calls, Texarkana Police say the best thing to do is simply hang up. While the call may sound alarming, hanging up is all that’s required. Do not provide any personal or financial information, not even a little.
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If you are worried that you might have actually missed jury duty or a court date, all you need to do is contact the court clerk directly using an official phone number. Do not call the phone number the caller gave you. You can find the official number on the Bowie County Sheriff's Office online.
Always look for the official phone number, whether it's the police department, your bank, or your credit cards. It's better to be safe than sorry.
Reporting Helps Protect Others Against Scammers
Something you can do to help others and authorities is report scam calls, texts, or emails to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov. Reporting these scams helps investigators track scams and protect others in the community.
Remember, a scammer will try to scare you. They will make it sound urgent. They are hoping you will go into a panic mode and act before you have a chance to think it through. So stay calm, hang up, and you will be fine.
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Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa