If you got a call, text, or email saying you missed federal jury duty and now owe a fine, it’s a federal jury duty scam. No federal court will ever phone, text, or email you to collect money or ask for your Social Security number, and no judge dispatches officers over an unreturned voicemail. Hang up, delete the message, and if you want to be certain, call the Clerk of Court at your local U.S. District Court using the number listed on the official U.S. Courts website.
How To Recognize the Scam
The pitch is consistent. A caller claiming to be from a federal courthouse, the U.S. Marshals Service, or local law enforcement tells you a bench warrant has been issued because you ignored a jury summons. They sound official. They may even cite a real statute, 28 U.S.C. § 1866(g), which does authorize fines up to $1,000 and up to three days in jail for ignoring a summons.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels The number on your caller ID may show a courthouse name, because spoofing technology can display anything the caller wants.2Federal Communications Commission. Caller ID Spoofing
Then comes the offer: pay an “administrative fine” now and the warrant disappears. The amount usually falls between $500 and $2,500. The payment method is the giveaway. Scammers demand prepaid debit cards, retail gift cards, wire transfers through Western Union or MoneyGram, or cryptocurrency sent through a kiosk. No government agency accepts any of those for fines or fees, and the FTC has stated plainly that only scammers insist on them.3Federal Trade Commission. That Call or Email Saying You Missed Jury Duty and Need to Pay Its a Scam
Some callers skip the money and go for data instead. They ask for your Social Security number, date of birth, or mother’s maiden name to “verify your identity in the court system.” Federal courts do not ask prospective jurors for that information by phone or email.4United States District Court Western District of Pennsylvania. Juror Scam Warning Any request for it is fraud.
A quick checklist of red flags in a single call:
- A demand for immediate payment by gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
- Pressure to stay on the line and act right now to avoid arrest.
- A request for your Social Security number, banking details, or other identifying data.
- A caller ID showing a courthouse or agency name, which proves nothing on its own.
How Real Federal Courts Contact Jurors
Legitimate jury contact starts in your mailbox. The Clerk of Court mails a juror qualification form, and you complete and return it within ten days by mail or through the court’s online eJuror portal.5Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1864 – Drawing of Names From the Master Jury Wheel; Completion of Juror Qualification Form If you’re selected to report, a formal summons follows, again by mail. Court staff may call or email about scheduling, but they will never ask for sensitive personal information over those channels.6United States Courts. Juror Scams
If you miss a summons, no one is coming to arrest you that afternoon. The Clerk’s Office follows up, and in some cases the court issues an Order to Show Cause requiring you to appear before a judge and explain. Any fine is imposed by a judge in open court, after you’ve had the chance to speak. Fines are never collected over the phone by anyone.7United States District Court. Press Release – Jury Duty Scam Alert Failure to Appear Fines
To verify anything you’ve received, use the participant number on the paper summons at the eJuror website, or call the Clerk of Court at your local U.S. District Court. Get the phone number from the official U.S. Courts website, not from the message you’re trying to verify.
What the Law Actually Says About Missing Jury Duty
Knowing the real rule takes the pressure off. Under 28 U.S.C. § 1866(g), someone who ignores a summons without good cause can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to three days, or ordered to perform community service.1Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 28 USC 1866 – Selection and Summoning of Jury Panels Courts rarely go straight to penalties. The usual path is a follow-up letter, then an Order to Show Cause hearing where you get to explain. Judges have wide discretion, and people with legitimate reasons are often just rescheduled. Every step runs through written court orders and in-person hearings. No one calls to collect.
If You Already Paid or Gave Out Information
Speed matters here. The next few hours can change what’s recoverable.
Sent a wire transfer? Call your bank immediately and request a recall. Wire transfers settle within minutes, and once the receiving party withdraws the funds, recovery is nearly impossible. Paid with a prepaid card or gift card? Call the card issuer and report the fraud. Recovery odds are low, but some issuers can freeze remaining balances if the scammer hasn’t drained the card yet.
If you shared your Social Security number, date of birth, or other identifying information, act on all three of these right away:
- Place a credit freeze with each of the three nationwide credit bureaus. Freezing and unfreezing your credit is free under federal law, and a freeze stops anyone from opening new accounts in your name until you lift it. Equifax: (800) 685-1111. Experian: (888) 397-3742. TransUnion: (888) 909-8872.8Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. What Do I Do if I Think I Have Been a Victim of Identity Theft
- File a report at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC’s site generates a personalized recovery plan and an official Identity Theft Report you can use to dispute fraudulent accounts.9Federal Trade Commission. IdentityTheft.gov Helps You Report and Recover From Identity Theft
- Watch your bank and credit card statements closely for several months, and turn on transaction alerts if your bank offers them.
Where To Report the Scam
Reporting helps investigators connect calls to organized rings, even if you didn’t lose money. File with as many of these as apply:
- Your local U.S. District Court. Contact the Clerk of Court to confirm you have no actual jury obligation and to report the attempt.
- The U.S. Marshals Service. Scammers frequently impersonate this agency, and the Marshals track these reports.
- The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. IC3 is the FBI’s central intake for cyber-enabled fraud, including phone spoofing.10Internet Crime Complaint Center. Internet Crime Complaint Center
- The FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.3Federal Trade Commission. That Call or Email Saying You Missed Jury Duty and Need to Pay Its a Scam
Give investigators as much detail as you can: the number that displayed on your phone, the time and date of the contact, any names or badge numbers the caller used, the dollar amount demanded, and the payment method they wanted. Small details are what link individual reports to larger operations.