THE BREAKDOWN: The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has issued a warning regarding a telephone scam hitting local residents. Fraudsters are impersonating law enforcement officers and demanding immediate payment for missed jury duty through digital apps like PayPal, Zelle, and Bitcoin.
PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is warning local residents to look out for a wave of phone scams currently circulating throughout the county.
According to authorities, fraudsters are calling victims and pretending to be official law enforcement personnel, sometimes even using the names of actual sheriff’s office employees. The callers tell the victims that they missed a scheduled jury duty date and must immediately pay a financial penalty to avoid arrest or legal trouble.
To make the scam appear authentic, the callers frequently mask their Caller ID. They either use blocked numbers or spoof official agency lines, including the sheriff’s office general information number, to trick people into answering.
Once they have the victim on the line, the scammers demand quick payment through digital transaction services. Investigators noted that the most common payment methods requested by these callers are PayPal, Bitcoin, and Zelle.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office clarified that it does not manage or distribute jury duty notifications. Officials emphasized that any phone calls demanding money to resolve legal issues are completely fraudulent and unauthorized.
“PSO will never contact individuals for any form of payment to resolve issues, criminal or otherwise,” the agency stated in a release.
Residents who receive these calls are advised not to provide any personal information or financial details, and to hang up immediately.
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