Scammers are still calling local people threatening them with jail if they don't show up for jury duty, according to the Natrona County Sheriff's Office.

"I got one this morning," investigator Aaron Shatto said Thursday.

"The female was actually scammed out of $800," Shatto said.

Casper Police dispatch has received 10 to 15 calls since the fraud started about 4 p.m. Wednesday, and the Sheriff's Office has received five to 10 calls, he said. "We're certainly anticipating more."

The scammers call citizens from all walks of life, and represent themselves as "officers of the court," Shatto said.

"They then explain to them that they have not shown up for jury and they have a warrant for their arrest," he said. "In this particular call, this individual was told to pay $800 immediately or a sheriff's deputy would arrest her."

The woman went to a local business, and paid $500 and $300 for two VISA cards, Shatto said. "The male then called back and got the account numbers and security codes, and he told her that she then had a court date on Aug.30, 2014."

The sheriff's office does not solicit money for anything, he said.

He didn't know if federal authorities would be called to investigate because the fraud probably involves wire fraud.

In his experience of observing a similar scam elsewhere, Shatto said these don't last a long time.

He also reminds people to never  give personal information including credit card information to anyone over the telephone they do not know

Anyone who receives such a call should called the Sheriff's Office at 235-9282 or Casper Police at 235-8278

 

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