‘Stay sharp, stay savvy’: Phone fraudsters continue to target Chesterfield residents with jury duty scam

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — The Chesterfield County Police Department is seeing a surge in reports of scam phone calls among county residents.

According to the department, these scammers will impersonate law enforcement and make false claims in order to extort their victims for money. For example, the scammer will tell the victim they have failed to report for jury duty or have missed a court appearance.

They will then say that the victim must pay them — typically by gift card — to avoid arrest.

This is something that has been happening in Chesterfield , as well as other counties , for some time.

The department is reminding residents that this sort of phone call is always a scam, no matter how convincing the scammer may appear.

Actual law enforcement will never call you to request this kind of payment. Additionally, gift cards are not a valid form of payment to law enforcement.

“Your safety and security are our top priorities, so if you’re ever unsure about any communication you receive, don’t hesitate to call our non-emergency number at 804-748-1251 to verify its legitimacy,” said the department in a Facebook post announcing this surge in reports. “Your awareness is our best defense against fraud. Stay sharp, stay savvy.”

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