Buncombe County Court Officials release statement warning of jury scam

Press release from Buncombe County:

Via a statement released by Buncombe County Clerk of Superior Court Jean Marie Christy on Friday, October 25th, 2024 on behalf of court officials and previously released by law enforcement officials, the public is advised as follows: Attention regarding a jury scam: We want to warn our community about a sophisticated scam targeting residents in our area, claiming the victims failed to report to jury duty and there is a federal warrant for their arrest. How it works: Scammers contact you by phone or email, claiming you failed to report for jury duty. They falsely state there’s a federal warrant for your arrest. To make it look legitimate, they may send a fake arrest warrant with real names of North Carolina federal law enforcement officers and prosecutors. They demand payment to avoid jail time & often request payment via a virtual currency machine or kiosk. Scammers may manipulate caller ID to make it seem like the call is from a courthouse or government agency. Victims are sometimes asked to bring a receipt to a law enforcement agency for “filing.” PLEASE REMEMBER: Legitimate arrest warrants are never emailed or texted. They are served in person by law enforcement or court officials. No law enforcement agency will ever demand payment over the phone. Be cautious and skeptical of unsolicited calls asking for personal information or payment. Be wary of unsolicited phone calls, emails, or texts. Do not give money or personal information to anyone you don’t know. If you receive such a call or email, hang up immediately and contact local authorities.”