PASCO COUNTY, Fla. – The Pasco Sheriff’s Office (PSO) has issued an warning to residents regarding a surge in sophisticated jury duty scams targeting individuals across the county. Scammers are aggressively contacting potential victims, often impersonating officials and even utilizing the names of PSO members or the office itself, to demand immediate payment for a missed jury summons.
According to a release from the PSO, the calls typically involve a scammer claiming the victim has failed to appear for jury duty and must pay a substantial fee to avoid arrest or further penalty.
How the Scams Operate:
- Impersonation: The caller claims to be an official, sometimes using the Pasco Sheriff’s Office name or the name of an actual PSO member to lend credibility.
- Spoofed Numbers: Scammers are using technology to spoof or fake the general information line of the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, making the call appear legitimate on the victim’s caller ID. Blocked or unrecognizable numbers may also be used.
- Digital Payment Methods: Crucially, the perpetrators demand payment via untraceable digital methods, including PayPal, Bitcoin, Zelle, and other similar accounts.
The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has stressed that these calls are not legitimate.
“PSO does not manage jury duty notifications, and we stress that these messages are not legitimate,” the office stated in its release. “PSO will never contact individuals for any form of payment to resolve issues, criminal or otherwise.”
The only entity in the county that handles official jury summonses is the Pasco County Clerk & Comptroller’s office or the court system.
What to Do If You Receive a Call:
Authorities urge residents who receive such a call to hang up immediately and never provide any personal information or agree to send money. Any official communication from the courts regarding jury duty will be sent through the U.S. Postal Service, not via telephone, demanding digital payments.
Residents who believe they have been targeted or have lost money to this scam should contact the Pasco Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line to file a report.
READ: Threats, Guns, And Knives: 3 Separate Arrests Logged In The Florida Keys
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