JENNINGS — Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff Ivy Woods said his office has received reports that the “jury duty” scam is making a comeback.

Woods said a scammer will call a home, claiming to be a court officer, and tell the potential victim that he has failed to report for jury duty and that a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Woods said the caller will ask for personal information — birth date, Social Security number, credit card number — for verification purposes.

“This is when you should hang up the phone; it is a scam,” Woods said in a news release. “Never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.”

This type of scam has been around for years, and its bold simplicity may be what makes it so effective, he said.

“Victims get scared, they’re afraid of being labeled a criminal and that’s when the scammer offers a solution — pay a fine, payable by credit card, that will clear up the problem,” he said.

“It seems like a very simple scam. The trick is putting the victims on the defensive, then reeling them back in with the promise of a clean slate.”

People who receive such calls should hang up and then call the Sheriff’s Office, Woods said.

(mgnonline.com)