Police Department

Spokane Police Warn of Scam Involving Jury Duty

Ofc. Teresa Fuller 509.835.4568

Thursday, August 7, 2014 at 5:04 p.m.

The Spokane Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies are receiving reports of a scam involving jury duty. Victims report they have received a call, telling them they failed to respond to a jury duty summons and how have to pay an officer money to keep from going to jail. Law enforcement officers never call people with warrants requesting payments over the phone to take care of their legal issues. If you receive calls similar to this or believe you may have been the victim of a scam, please call Crime Check at 509.456.2233.

On August 6, 2014, just after 8 p.m., a man who had received a suspicious phone call. The caller identified himself as a Deputy from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect advised the potential victim that he had missed jury duty and had a bench warrant for his arrest. The suspect then went on to tell the victim he needed to get a pre-paid credit card for $1,000 and they could take care of the warrant over the phone.

This scam comes on the heels of another scam Spokane Police alerted citizens to a couple of weeks ago involving Avista where the caller demanded money for an unpaid electric bill.

In both instances, the demands were high pressure, with the threat of serious consequences, and the suspects were very specific in how the money was to be delivered.

Law enforcement officers never call people with warrants requesting payments over the phone to take care of their legal issues. If you receive calls similar to this or believe you may have been the victim of a scam, please call Crime Check at 509-456-2233.

• Newer
• Older