Jury duty scam: Deputies will never ask for debit cards to avoid arrest

(Associated Press)

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – If someone calls saying you’ll be arrested for missing jury duty if you don’t provide them prepaid debit cards, they’re lying.

On Wednesday, a woman in St. Johns County got a call from someone with a local phone number identifying himself as a Sheriff’s Office deputy saying arrest warrants would be issued for failure to appear and contempt of court if she didn’t buy Visa debit cards vouchers in the amounts of $415 and $390. She went to Dollar General and bought the cards and provided the access numbers to the “deputy" over the phone.

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“No law enforcement agencies or government agencies take money over the phone,” real St. Johns County deputies told the victim, according to the incident report.

The Sheriff’s Office urges people to be skeptical of any calls from people wanting money, even if they sound legitimate and make threats. When in doubt, get off the phone and call the agency the caller said they represent by looking up the number -- don’t call a number provided over the phone -- before making any decisions.