Scammers are threatening people with arrest for missing jury duty - then demanding money

LAKELAND — Scammers are calling people and threatening to send them to jail for missing jury duty — unless they make a large payment, the Polk County Sheriff's Office said in a news release Monday.

The Sheriff's Office warned anyone who receives such a phone call "don't fall for it."

The most recent reported incident happened near Winter Haven on Friday.

"According to the would-be-victim, she received a phone call from someone saying he was a U.S. Marshal working with the Polk County Sheriff's Office," The sheriff's office said in a release. "He told the woman that she had missed jury duty and was now facing arrest unless she withdraws $2,400 from her bank account, drives to CVS, then awaits further instructions."

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According to a release, the woman got the money before calling the Sheriff's Office because something didn't seem right about the call. When a deputy responded and called the number back, the deputy discovered that "the scammers even went as far as creating a fake PCSO automated answering message," a release said.

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody's office said jury duty scams have also been reported in Citrus County, Collier County, Lake County and St. Johns County.

Things the Sheriff's Office said to keep in mind:

• A frequent tactic by scammers is to demand money using gift cards or pre-paid credit cards.

• Scammers tend to be aggressive, their goal is to get your money quickly and often react negatively and pushy when you ask too many questions.

• If you are suspicious about who you are talking to, tell the caller you will hang up and call the main number back. Then, look up the real phone number for who the person claims to be on the internet. For example, if someone tells you they are calling from the Polk County Sheriff's Office, hang up and call the PCSO main number: 863-298-6200.

Sheriff's officials said if you are in doubt about phone callers asking for money, regardless of who they claim to be, call the Sheriff's Office and a deputy will help.