As if there weren’t enough potential phone and email scams for senior citizens to be wary about, Iowa media outlets were warned about another trend in scams this week.
Carol Sage, the clerk of the court for both Madison and Jasper counties, sent out an email this week, warning about potential jury and jury-notice scams.
She said the Jasper County clerk’s office has received two complaints recently about potential scams involving jury duty. Both victims had been contacted by someone first, Sage said, and her office doesn’t initiate contact with the public regarding any jury affairs.
“We mail out a summons, and all of the communication to the public, initiated to us, is by mail,” Sage said. “No one will get an unsolicited email or phone call from us. We return phone calls and emails, but if you hear from us, unannounced, it will be by mail.”
Sage said both of the individuals who inquired at the Jasper County clerk’s office were strongly encouraged to contact law enforcement. She said there isn’t much her staff can tell people, except to repeat that the clerk has no reason to call or email anyone unsolicited.
“We do not communicate through email or phone calls, until after all formal notification by mail and registration of the summons has been filed back with our office,” Sage said. “We may respond to a juror through email or a phone call, only after the juror has initiated the communication; never requesting personal information or funds of any kind.”
John Goerdt, Iowa’s Deputy State Court Administrator, sent out an email Feb. 2 to all his direct subordinates, encouraging them to be on the lookout for scams involving fines or fees for missing jury duty.
“This jury scam might be occurring only in Polk County, but we should not assume that is the case,” Goerdt said in his email. “ You might want to alert all your clerks of court and jury coordinators so they are aware of the situation. I’ll alert the Attorney General’s Office as well.”
In another email, Lisa Stevens of the Iowa Judicial Branch’s Fifth District tells of at least three separate incidents where an apparent scammer identified themselves as a “lieutenant.”
One elderly man brought in a receipt to show to Stevens, showing he had used Paypal to send money for his “wife’s failing to appear for jury duty” after speaking with a “Lt. Donaldson.” Stevens also said a U.S. Bank employee called her to tell about an elderly man who came in to withdraw $1,500 from his savings to put on a “green card” to give to the “lieutenant.”
Sage said it isn't clear if thieves are targeting anyone who has appeared in any type of recent public court records, but the elderly clearly are part of the targeting. An article published Feb. 13 on the website, www.pewtrusts.org, law enforcement discuss some of the common types of jury-duty scams.
One phone scenario involves threatening arrest and/or imprisonment for not paying a hefty fine for missing jury duty. Some scammers have the courage to claim to be from a specific law enforcement agency, while others simply go by a police-type title, such as a lieutenant, captain or major.
Email scams tend to involve official-looking messages, with a seal or shield that resembles a local agency logo.
Not all scams attempt to get money from people directly. Some emails have attachments that lead to viruses or malware that allows criminals to gain access to personal data. Some thieves are bold enough to actually knock on doors.
“We (the clerk’s office) don’t have a reason to call or email people who didn’t contact us,” Sage said. “And we sure don’t have a reason to go knocking on people’s doors.”
Anyone who has information to report about any type of email or phone scam is encouraged to call the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office at 641-792-5912.
Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com