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Jury Scam Warnings

Jury scams have seen a resurgence in recent months. If you receive a phone call or an e-mail from someone claiming to be a court official, DO NOT give them your social security number or credit card information. Our court will never ask for personal information over the phone or by e-mail. If you receive such a call or e-mail, immediately contact your local jury administrator.

 

July 30th 2014 -- New Juror Scam Seeks Personal Data

A new juror scam email, which fraudulently seeks personal information that could aid identity theft, has been reported in at least 14 federal court districts.

According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, citizens received emails claiming they had been selected for jury service and demanding that they return a form with such information as Social Security and driver’s license numbers, date of birth, cell phone number, and mother’s maiden name.

According to the email, anyone who failed to provide the information would be ordered to court to explain their failure, and could face fines and jail time. The email also falsely claimed that it was affiliated with eJuror, an online registration program used in about 80 U.S. court districts.

The email is fraudulent and has no connection to either the federal courts or to eJuror.

The Administrative Office noted that eJuror never requests that personal identification information be sent directly in an email response. Requests by courts to complete a qualification questionnaire would be initiated by formal written correspondence. Such letters tell jury participants how to access an authenticated, secure online connection. It is a federal crime to falsely represent oneself as a federal court employee.

U.S. District Court officials were urged to post warnings about the scam on their public web sites, and anyone suspecting a fraudulent email or call should contact the clerk's office at their nearest district court. Anyone who responded to the email should take appropriate steps to safeguard their personal and financial information, which may include contacting the major credit bureaus.

To learn more about juror scams, see this U.S. Courts web page.

 

Alert: Scam Emails About Phony Court Cases Carry Computer Virus

The federal judiciary has learned of an email scam, in which emails purporting to come from federal and state courts are infecting recipients with computer viruses.

According to the Security Operations Center of the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, the emails are instructing recipients to report to a hearing on a specified day and time. The emails also instruct recipients to review an attached document for detailed case information. When the attachments or links in the email are opened,  a malicious program is launched that infects the recipient's computer. Several state courts have reported similar schemes, and also are warning the public about potential viruses.

Unless you are actively involved in a case in federal court and have consented to receive court notifications electronically, you generally will not be served with court documents electronically.

If you receive an email regarding a federal court case or matter of which you are unaware, you should contact the federal court in your jurisdiction before opening any attachments or links.