Ever heard the scam, “Missed Jury duty, pay a fine and it will all just go away?”
Scammers are getting more and more cultivated in bringing up new ideas in an attempt to steal consumer money.
”Scams like these are usually targeted around small towns,” attorney general’s spokesperson said. In this particular case, “Lieutenant William” calls people to inform them that they had jury duty and failed to show up. Then he baits the person by asking them to pay a fine and this will relieve them of the consequences.
As stated by Albany County, Wyoming: A Jury summons is a random process; citizens may be called or emailed to attend one. Usually, if someone fails to attend a jury duty for any reason, they can get a bench warrant. More than one bench warrant means they could go to jail or pay a fine of up to $300.
How does an individual know when calls like these are real or just another hoax?
According to the Sheriff’s spokesperson, these are some tips that you can use to guard yourself against these threats:
Do not trust a complete stranger
Unsure about this email or call? Do not respond. Some scammers can steal your money from credit cards or bank accounts just by getting a simple confirmation. Instead, hang up the phone and report to the Laramie police station and explain the situation.
Do not give out personal information
Another way people generally get deceived is through scammers pretending to be a bank company, asking for your pin or password. Bank companies will never ask you for your password or pin. According to the attorney general’s office, never give out personal information to anyone.
Cupidity is not good
You can’t win $250 million without even buying a lottery ticket.
Stop and think
Most scammers are usually in a rush. If you wait and think, this puts the scammer at a disadvantage. Most people do not think and agree on something in a hurry.
Keep up with the news
Another good way of saving yourself from these scams is to keep up with the news. At some point, the scam will become public knowledge and cease to work, as everyone will know about it and how to deal with it accordingly.
Technology has made our lives easier and faster. But, it has left us susceptible to other kinds of problems and threats; fake advertisements popping up on every page to malicious offers.
Therefore, as a member of society, it’s our duty to share any kind of information about these frauds and stir up a commotion. Let others know about the situation to prevent any future incident.
If you have any queries please call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit at 307-777-8962 or 1-800-438-5799.
