Oakland Co. Sheriff warns residents about jury duty phone scam

Oakland County residents should beware of a telephone scam targeting people who fail to report for jury duty, the sheriff's office said.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said that two people came to his office Monday to turn themselves in for arrest warrants that did not exist.

He said the two people told deputies they received phone calls during which a person demanded a cash bond for not appearing for jury duty in federal court or they would be arrested.

In both cases, the caller identified himself as an Oakland County Sheriff's deputy, Bouchard said.

One victim said the caller told him two warrants had been issued for his arrest. The other said the caller told her there was a two-count warrant charging her with failure to appear and demanded $5,000 to avoid arrest.

"These scams are nonstop with one common thread," Bouchard said. "They always demand money over the phone in some form or fashion.

"No law enforcement agency would do that," he said. "Whether they say it is the Sheriff’s Office, the FBI, the IRS, or whatever the flavor of the day is, it is a scam! Hang up."

Richard Lynch, court administrator of the U.S. District Court for Eastern Michigan District in Detroit, said in a statement that the court only contacts delinquent jurors by mail and never by phone.

"We would send a letter to their home address," he said. "We would never call."

cramirez@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @CharlesERamirez