Would a real sheriff's office ever call about jury duty?

Some courts do make routine calls about jury service, but none threaten arrest on that same call while demanding immediate payment by wire, gift card, or cryptocurrency. That combination is the sign of a scam, not standard court procedure.

The caller knew personal details like my Social Security number. Does that mean it's real?

No. Personal details circulate widely after data breaches and are often used specifically to make a scam call sound credible. A caller knowing your information does not make them a real official.

The caller told me not to tell anyone, calling it a gag order. Is that real?

No court or law enforcement agency issues a gag order over the phone forbidding you from talking to your bank or a family member. That instruction exists to keep you from checking the story with someone else before sending money.

Can a scammer really sound like a real deputy?

Yes. In October 2026, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said scammers were using AI to clone the voice and photo of a real member of its staff. "It's his voice, his face," Sheriff Chris Blackmon told FOX 35. "... The entire thing's AI." Call the sheriff's office on the number listed on its official website, not a number the caller gives you.

What is a cryptocurrency ATM, and why do these callers use one?

It is a kiosk that turns cash into cryptocurrency, which then moves to the caller's account and is very difficult to reverse. Courts, police, and other government agencies never direct anyone to one of these machines, whatever official-sounding name they give it.

Scam alert

A Call Says You Missed Jury Duty and Must Pay? Hang Up.

Updated Oct 28 · First posted Sep 12

United States · fox35orlando.com · Arrives by a phone call

The short answer

A caller who says you missed jury duty or have a warrant, then wants a bond or fine paid at a store kiosk, by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire, is not law enforcement, even if the voice sounds like a real officer. In October 2026, a Florida sheriff said callers used AI to copy a staff member's voice, and another Florida sheriff's office said a woman paid a $2,700 "bond" through a store kiosk. A real agency does not demand payment by phone. Hang up and call the agency on a number you look up yourself.

What is happening

In October 2026 in Florida, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said callers were using AI to clone the voice of a staff member in calls claiming people had missed jury duty or had a warrant, and that at least 40 people there had been called in recent months, FOX 35 reported; the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said callers transferred a resident to a supposed deputy and kept her on the line as she drove to an ATM, until the gas station's owner stepped in; and the Levy County Sheriff's Office said a woman paid a $2,700 "bond" through a Gainesville convenience-store kiosk, and callers then demanded a $1,500 fine, as WCJB also reported. An FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center notice in September 2026 counted 6,833 complaints about missed jury duty or court date threats between January 2025 and July 2026, with losses near $36 million. In October 2026 in South Carolina, Sumter police warned of a scam that threatens people with arrest for missing federal jury duty and demands cryptocurrency payments to avoid it, WLTX and The Sumter Item reported, and police said the scammers were sending AI-made fliers that show a fake warrant, the department's own phone number, and a picture of an officer, according to WIS and The Sumter Item. Also in October 2026, the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office in Pennsylvania put signs above ATMs in downtown county buildings, including the courthouse, telling people to end any call that threatens arrest and says to stay on the line while depositing money into an ATM or cryptocurrency kiosk, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Beaver County Radio reported. In October 2026 in Oregon, the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office said a 79-year-old resident lost $40,000 in September after a caller using the name "Lieutenant White" told him he had missed jury duty and needed to pay a fine to avoid arrest; he made two $20,000 withdrawals, put the cash into a bitcoin machine in Southeast Portland, and told his daughter he was working with the sheriff's office but could not talk about it, and a deputy met him at home while he was still on the phone with the caller, who hung up, KATU also reported.

How to recognize it

A caller posing as police or a deputy says you missed jury duty or have a warrant, may send a fake warrant or claim a gag order, and pushes cash into a Bitcoin machine, gift cards, a wire, or an in-person meeting.
You are told a warrant is out for your arrest unless you pay a bond or fine right away.
You are sent a flier or image showing a warrant, the police department's real phone number, a picture of an officer, and ways to pay. Police in Sumter, South Carolina, said scammers make these with AI.
The caller sounds like, or uses the name and photo of, a real officer you can look up. A voice can be copied with AI.
Caller ID appears to show a real sheriff's office or court number—including a real non-emergency line—or the caller already knows personal details such as your name or address.
You are told a 'gag order' or similar rule forbids you from telling anyone else about the call before it is resolved.
You are directed to withdraw cash and pay through a wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or a cryptocurrency ATM, sometimes described with an official-sounding term such as a 'federal depository.'
The caller stays on the phone with you while giving step-by-step directions to a store or ATM, or tries to arrange an in-person meeting to sign documents.
After one payment, new callers using titles such as captain or deputy ask for another "fine" and a copy of your photo ID.

What to do instead

Hang up. A real court or sheriff's office does not call to demand payment for missed jury duty.
Do not stay on the phone with a caller who is directing you to withdraw money or drive somewhere.
Look up your local court or sheriff's office yourself and call that number to ask whether anything is actually owed. In Sidney, Ohio, police ask you to call (937) 498-2351 about a suspicious call.
Do not send a copy of your ID or personal details to a caller you have not verified.
Do not pay a government fee or fine with a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency ATM—no legitimate agency asks for those.
Talk to a family member or trusted friend before you move any money. Scammers rely on fear and secrecy, and the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office says they may tell you not to discuss it with family.
Treat a caller already knowing personal details, or a voice that sounds familiar, as a sign to verify independently rather than as proof the call is genuine.
If you want to tell someone, the rule is: hang up on a jury-duty or warrant payment call, then check with a number you look up yourself.

If it already happened

Responding to one of these is common and understandable. These steps are what people usually take next.

Contact your local police department and file a report, and mention it may be part of a wider jury duty phone scam pattern.
If you used a cryptocurrency ATM, contact the machine operator right away—funds may only be recoverable within a short window.
If you shared a Social Security number or other personal details, start a recovery plan at IdentityTheft.gov.
Watch your bank and credit accounts for activity you do not recognize.

Open Help Now

Common questions

Would a real sheriff's office ever call about jury duty?: Some courts do make routine calls about jury service, but none threaten arrest on that same call while demanding immediate payment by wire, gift card, or cryptocurrency. That combination is the sign of a scam, not standard court procedure.
The caller knew personal details like my Social Security number. Does that mean it's real?: No. Personal details circulate widely after data breaches and are often used specifically to make a scam call sound credible. A caller knowing your information does not make them a real official.
The caller told me not to tell anyone, calling it a gag order. Is that real?: No court or law enforcement agency issues a gag order over the phone forbidding you from talking to your bank or a family member. That instruction exists to keep you from checking the story with someone else before sending money.
Can a scammer really sound like a real deputy?: Yes. In October 2026, the Osceola County Sheriff's Office said scammers were using AI to clone the voice and photo of a real member of its staff. "It's his voice, his face," Sheriff Chris Blackmon told FOX 35. "... The entire thing's AI." Call the sheriff's office on the number listed on its official website, not a number the caller gives you.
What is a cryptocurrency ATM, and why do these callers use one?: It is a kiosk that turns cash into cryptocurrency, which then moves to the caller's account and is very difficult to reverse. Courts, police, and other government agencies never direct anyone to one of these machines, whatever official-sounding name they give it.

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A Call Says You Missed Jury Duty and Must Pay? Hang Up.

A caller who says you missed jury duty or have a warrant, then wants a bond or fine paid at a store kiosk, by gift card, cryptocurrency, or wire, is not law enforcement, even if the voice sounds like a real officer. In October 2026, a Florida sheriff said callers used AI to copy a staff member's voice, and another Florida sheriff's office said a woman paid a $2,700 "bond" through a store kiosk. A real agency does not demand payment by phone. Hang up and call the agency on a number you look up yourself.

Read the full alert: https://endscamsproject.com/latest-scams/jury-duty-warrant-phone-scam

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