Hidalgo County warns of missed jury duty scam call

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Hidalgo County is warning its residents about calls from scammers that claim they failed to appear for jury duty and threatening them with arrest if they do not pay a fine.

The scammers will insist that the victims pay over the phone with a credit card or deliver cash or prepaid credit cards to a particular location, according to a release.

“Jury scams continue to exist and have become more elaborate over the years making it more difficult for citizens to quickly identify its fraudulent nature,” said Hidalgo County District Clerk Laura Hinojosa. “We want to ensure the public is aware that the courts or law enforcement will never call anyone to arrange payment of fines over the phone for failure to appear for jury duty, for outstanding warrants, or for any other infraction.”

Residents and potential victims should note the following:

• The district clerk’s office will always send a jury summons by U.S. Mail.
• The district clerk’s office, law enforcement officials or court/county officials will never demand payment over the phone at any time.
• Potential jurors who miss jury duty will first be contacted by mail to appear before a judge. This notice will always be in writing and signed by a judge.
• A fine for missing jury duty will never be imposed until after the potential juror appears before a judge and is given an opportunity to explain their situation.

Anyone who believes they may be a victim of a scam should refrain from providing the requested information or making any payments.

Further, victims should report the incident to their local police department or law enforcement office immediately.