East Texas Sheriff Warns of Jury Scam

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens of Van Zandt County and surrounding areas concerning a scam that has affected many communities around the state of Texas. According to Sheriff Lindsey Ray, unknown individuals, purporting to be Officers of the Court, or employees of the local municipal and county governments, are calling citizens of the community and fraudulently informing the citizens that they have missed a scheduled jury duty. The caller subsequently informs the citizens that they have incurred a fine and then proceeds with instruction advising how the fines must be paid to avoid incarceration.

If you become a target of the “Jury Scam,” simply hang up on the caller. Never release your personal information over the phone (or the internet) to unsolicited contacts. If you feel you have become a victim of identity theft, file a report with your local law enforcement agency and request a copy of the report. Contact the fraud department of the three major credit bureaus and request that a “fraud alert” be placed in your file, as well as a statement asking creditors to call before opening any new accounts.