NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The Orleans Parish district attorney warned residents about a recent scam that threatens people with jail time if they don’t pay hefty fines for missing jury duty.
District Attorney Jason Williams said an acquaintance notified him of the scam; he then attempted to investigate the claim and became a target himself. “The fraudster not only confirmed that I had missed jury service but said that if I didn’t pay $1,500 via a credit card before I got off that phone call, I would be arrested,” he said.
The con is not unique to the parish. Earlier this year, a similar warning went out to residents in Jefferson Parish. With it potentially being a broader issue, Williams said, “It’s impossible to know if they are solely targeting people in Orleans Parish, whether this is a citywide, statewide or a multi-jurisdictional piece.”
Several law enforcement agencies are involved in the scam’s investigation. Williams said there are credible leads, but “the full extent of this issue is simply not known at this point.”
Skipping jury duty is a crime, and you could be fined $50, spend up to three days in parish jail, or both. However, neither would be handled over the phone.
If one of these scammers calls you, do not give them any money and report the call to the district attorney’s office or your local FBI field office.
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