The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents of a scam that continuously resurfaces in our area.

Victims report receiving a phone call stating they have missed jury duty and they have fees associated with their absence that must be paid.  The caller may claim to be a deputy with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and use a name of a current CPSO deputy.  They instruct the victim to either purchase a prepaid card or make a payment using a Bitcoin kiosk to void the warrant and avoid arrest.

This is a scam. Mancuso wants residents to know that under no circumstance will a deputy ever ask for money or any form of payment in lieu of missing jury duty or for an active warrant.  Mancuso wants to remind residents of a few tips to use to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:

• Resist the pressure to make an immediate decision.  Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly
• Verify the information before sending any money
• Never send money based on a request made over the phone or in an e-mail.