On Tuesday (May 9) the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office was made aware of a scam attempt where a person is calling citizens in Iredell County, pretending to be Sergeant Scott Hall with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office Civil Division.

The Sheriff’s Office has received information about deputies and judges names being used as well.The caller says the person has failed to show up for Federal Jury Duty, and the warrant could be taken care of if the fine was paid.

According to the North Carolina Judicial Branch website, these “jury duty scams” periodically make the rounds in North Carolina. Elderly North Carolinians are often targeted and particularly vulnerable to this scam, but anyone can be duped by these scammers.

Members of the public have reported being scammed out of thousands of dollars. In reality, per North Carolina statute the penalty for disobeying a jury summons is currently $50 for each time a juror fails to appear.

The Iredell County Sheriff’s Office says they would never take money to cancel a warrant. If you receive such a call, state officials urge you to hang up without providing any information about yourself or taking any action. If the call does not feel right, hang up and do not engage the caller.

You may be pressured into staying on the phone to purchase a money order, pre-paid debit card, or gift card, but you should resist and hang up. If asked to do so, please do not leave your home or place of work to meet the caller at any location, including your local courthouse or sheriff’s office.

Report any suspicious calls or emails to your local Sheriff’s Office. Victims can also report it to the N.C. Attorney General’s Office or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.