Stay Ahead of the Scammers

In the wake of ongoing scams related to jury duty, new scams about phony court cases are starting to make the rounds. Here are five reminders to help you avoid being the victim of a scam.

1. Courts and clerks never send legal notices via email.

2. Never click on a link or open an attachment in a suspicious email.

3. Do not call a phone number in a suspicious email; it is likely part of the scam.

4. Do not give in to suggestions that urgent action is needed.

5. Never provide financial or personal information to someone you do not know.

The latest scams are emails claiming to come from a clerk of court, stating that the recipient has a case against them, and they must act immediately. Recipients are often directed to click on a link or an attachment, which is, of course, a computer virus or other form of malware. The notices may look official, but remember, courts and clerks never send legal notices via email.

To safely verify whether the email is legitimate or fraudulent, the best course of action is to contact your local clerk of court. Do not click on or call any phone number shown in the dubious email. Contact information for all court clerks in Florida is available online.

Though they have been circulating for years, scams related to jury service have not gone away. These scams typically involve someone impersonating a law enforcement officer who calls or emails a potential victim and claims to have an arrest warrant for missed jury duty unless the person pays a fine or a bond. In some instances, the scammers are after personal information that could lead to identity theft or other fraudulent activity.

Legitimate notices related to jury duty are sent through the United States Postal Service, not by email or phone call. Communications from real court officials will never include requests for Social Security numbers, credit card information, or any other personally identifiable information.

These are just two examples of scammers using phishing in an attempt to sabotage systems and organizations or to trick users into revealing sensitive information (such as passwords) or transferring money. Don’t take the bait; stay alert!