Jury Duty Scam Warning: Fake Arrest Warrants, Calls & Payments

If you searched for jury duty scam, juror scam, missed jury duty scam, or jury duty arrest warrant scam, you may have received a frightening call, text, email, voicemail, or official-looking document claiming that you failed to appear for jury service.

The message may say a warrant has been issued, you are in contempt of court, or police will arrest you unless you immediately pay a fine.

That payment demand is a scam. Real jury service is important and ignoring an actual summons can have consequences, but courts and law-enforcement officers do not resolve missed jury duty by demanding immediate payment over the phone, by text, through cryptocurrency, gift cards, payment apps, wire transfers, or a supposed government payment kiosk.

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On this page:
What is the scam? ·
Current 2026 warning ·
Fake arrest warrants ·
Payment demands ·
Verify jury duty ·
If you paid ·
If you shared information

Jury duty scammers may use real court names, spoofed caller ID, fake badge numbers, and official-looking arrest warrants. Never pay to avoid arrest; verify the claim directly with the court.

What Is the Jury Duty or Juror Scam?

The jury duty scam is a government-impersonation scheme in which someone pretends to represent a court or law-enforcement agency.

The scammer may claim to be from:

• A local courthouse
• A county clerk’s office
• A jury services office
• A sheriff’s department
• A police department
• The U.S. Marshals Service
• A federal district court
• Another government agency

The caller claims you missed jury duty, failed to respond to a summons, or ignored a court appearance.

You are then told that:

• A warrant has been issued.
• You are in contempt of court.
• You owe a fine.
• Your arrest is imminent.
• You must remain on the phone.
• You can resolve the problem by paying immediately.

The objective is to frighten you enough that you send money or disclose sensitive information before independently checking the story.

Jury Duty Scams Are Still Active in 2026

This is not merely an old scam circulating occasionally.

On September 17, 2026, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center issued a new warning about scammers impersonating government and law-enforcement officials.

The FBI reported that between January 2025 and July 2026 there were:

• 6,833 IC3 complaints involving scams claiming that a victim missed jury duty or a court date
• Nearly $36 million in reported losses connected with those complaints

The scams include claims that the victim has an outstanding warrant or owes a fine that must be paid to avoid arrest.

Read the current FBI IC3 government-impersonation warning.

How the Jury Duty Scam Usually Works

1. You receive an unexpected call, voicemail, text, or email.
2. The person claims you failed to appear for jury duty.
3. The scammer provides a supposed badge number, case number, citation, or warrant number.
4. You are threatened with arrest, jail, contempt, or another penalty.
5. You are told not to hang up.
6. The scammer demands immediate payment or identity information.
7. You may be directed to a store, bank, cryptocurrency ATM, payment kiosk, or other location.
8. Once you send money, another supposed fee or problem may appear.

Why Can the Caller Sound So Convincing?

Modern jury duty scams often contain accurate information.

A scammer may know:

• Your full name
• Your home address
• Your city or county
• The name of a real judge
• The name of a sheriff or deputy
• The actual courthouse address
• A real government telephone number

That information can come from publicly available sources, commercial databases, data breaches, social media, public records, or other sources.

Knowing your name or address does not prove that the caller represents the government.

Can Jury Duty Scammers Spoof Caller ID?

Yes.

Federal courts and the U.S. Marshals Service have repeatedly warned that scammers can manipulate caller ID so that a call appears to originate from:

• A courthouse
• A sheriff’s department
• A police department
• The U.S. Marshals Service
• Another government office

Do not verify the caller by calling back the number displayed on your phone.

Instead, find the agency or court independently through an official government website.

Fake Jury Duty Arrest Warrants by Text or Email

A newer version of the scam can continue after the initial phone call.

In June 2026, the Federal Trade Commission warned that scammers were sending victims official-looking documents by text or email after claiming they had missed jury duty.

The fake document may include:

• Your real name
• A court seal
• A supposed arrest warrant
• A case or docket number
• A judge’s name
• A law-enforcement officer’s name
• An amount supposedly owed
• Payment instructions

A professional-looking PDF or photograph of a warrant does not establish that the document is real.

The FTC says real law enforcement will not text or email you an arrest warrant and demand money to prevent arrest.

See the FTC’s June 2026 warning: Ignore calls, texts, and emails threatening arrest for missing jury duty.

Fake Jury Duty Websites

Another variation sends the victim to a website that appears to belong to a court or government agency.

The fraudulent site may use:

• A government-looking seal
• An official-sounding domain name
• A fake warrant lookup
• A supposed case-search tool
• A form asking for your date of birth
• A request for your Social Security number
• A payment page

Some victims are told that they owe thousands of dollars or must make payment at a cryptocurrency kiosk.

Do not use a website supplied by a threatening caller to verify whether the caller is legitimate.

Find the court independently.

There Is No “Government Kiosk” for Clearing a Jury Warrant

Scammers may instruct victims to travel to a kiosk while staying on the telephone.

The kiosk may actually be:

• A Bitcoin ATM
• A cryptocurrency machine
• A retail payment terminal
• A money-transfer location

A legitimate court does not direct you to a cryptocurrency or retail kiosk to pay money to prevent an arrest for missed jury duty.

Jury Duty Scam Payment Methods

Be especially cautious if the caller demands payment through:

• Gift cards
• Prepaid debit cards
• Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency
• Cryptocurrency ATMs
• Wire transfers
• Western Union or MoneyGram
• Zelle
• Venmo
• Cash App or another payment app
• Cash deposited at a kiosk

The U.S. Marshals Service says it will never ask for credit-card numbers, debit-card numbers, gift-card numbers, wire transfers, bank-routing information, or Bitcoin deposits to resolve one of these supposed obligations.

See the U.S. Marshals Service scam warning.

What If the Caller Says He Is a U.S. Marshal?

Do not rely on the person’s claimed name or badge number.

Scammers sometimes use the actual names of:

• U.S. Marshals
• Deputy U.S. Marshals
• Police officers
• Sheriff’s deputies
• Judges
• Court officials

They may obtain those names from public government websites.

If the caller claims to be from the U.S. Marshals Service, end the call and locate the appropriate office independently through USMarshals.gov.

What If the Caller Says You Cannot Hang Up?

Hang up anyway.

Keeping the victim on the telephone is a common pressure tactic.

A scammer may tell you:

• Hanging up will activate the warrant.
• Police will arrest you if the call disconnects.
• You cannot tell your spouse or family.
• You cannot contact an attorney.
• You cannot contact your bank.
• You must remain on the line while withdrawing money.

Those instructions are designed to prevent independent verification.

Do Real Courts Contact People About Jury Duty?

Yes. Jury duty itself is real, and legitimate courts communicate with prospective jurors.

For federal jury service, U.S. Courts says most contact with a prospective juror will be through the U.S. mail.

Legitimate federal court officials may use other communication methods in appropriate circumstances, but U.S. Courts says genuine telephone or email contact will not include requests for sensitive information.

State and local courts may have different notification procedures, including legitimate electronic reminders in some jurisdictions.

That is why the safest rule is not “every jury-related text is fake.” The safer rule is:

Do not pay or provide sensitive information based solely on an unsolicited communication. Verify it independently with the court.

Can Missing Real Jury Duty Have Consequences?

Yes.

A genuine summons should not be ignored.

Depending on the court and applicable law, failure to appear can result in additional court proceedings or other consequences.

However, a legitimate process is very different from a caller demanding an immediate payment to avoid arrest.

If you are worried that you actually missed jury service, independently contact the court instead of arguing with the caller.

How to Verify Whether You Really Missed Jury Duty

1. End the suspicious call.
2. Do not use the telephone number the caller gave you.
3. Do not click the link in a text or email.
4. Search independently for the court’s official government website.
5. Locate the official clerk or jury-services telephone number.
6. Call the court yourself.
7. Ask whether your name is connected with an actual jury summons or failure-to-appear matter.

For federal courts, use the official U.S. Courts Federal Court Finder.

You can also review the official U.S. Courts Juror Scams page.

What If the Caller Knows Your Social Security Number?

Knowing personal information does not prove that the caller is legitimate.

If a scammer already knows some sensitive information, do not help complete the record by confirming:

• Your full Social Security number
• Date of birth
• Driver’s-license number
• Bank account information
• Credit-card information
• Online banking login
• Verification codes

A scammer may intentionally read part of your information aloud and ask you to “verify” the remainder.

What If You Received a Jury Duty Text?

Do not automatically click the link.

First determine which court the message supposedly concerns.

Then locate that court independently and verify the message.

Be especially suspicious if the text:

• Threatens arrest
• Demands immediate payment
• Links to a payment page
• Includes a supposed warrant
• Requests sensitive identity information
• Directs you to cryptocurrency

What If You Received a Jury Duty Email?

Do not open unexpected attachments or follow links merely because the email contains official-looking logos.

A fake email may contain:

• A fraudulent summons
• A fake arrest warrant
• A malicious PDF or attachment
• A phishing link
• A supposed court-payment portal

If you are unsure, contact the court independently.

What If You Already Paid the Jury Duty Scammer?

Act immediately.

1. Stop communicating with the scammer.
2. Contact the company or financial institution used to send the money.
3. Explain that the payment resulted from a government-impersonation scam.
4. Ask whether the transaction can be stopped, recalled, frozen, or reversed.
5. Save every receipt and transaction record.
6. Save the caller’s number, voicemail, text, email, warrant, or website.
7. Report the incident to the FTC.
8. File an IC3 complaint when appropriate.

If You Paid With a Gift Card

Contact the gift-card company immediately, tell it the card was used in a scam, and provide the card number and receipt if requested.

If You Sent a Wire Transfer

Contact your bank or wire-transfer service immediately and request a recall or reversal.

If You Sent Cryptocurrency

Contact the cryptocurrency exchange or service you used immediately and report the transaction as fraud. Cryptocurrency transfers can be difficult to reverse, but preserve the wallet address and transaction information for law enforcement.

If You Used a Payment App

Report the transaction inside the app and contact any linked bank or card issuer.

Beware of a Second Scam Offering to Recover Your Money

People who have already lost money can be targeted again.

A second caller may claim to be:

• A government investigator
• An attorney
• A fraud-recovery company
• A bank investigator
• A cryptocurrency recovery specialist

The person then demands another payment to recover the original loss.

Do not send an advance fee based solely on an unsolicited recovery offer.

What If You Shared Personal Information?

If you gave the scammer sensitive identity or financial information, the risk may continue after the call ends.

Depending on what was disclosed:

• Contact your bank or card issuer.
• Change compromised passwords.
• Enable multi-factor authentication.
• Review account login activity.
• Monitor bank and credit-card transactions.
• Review your credit reports.
• Consider a fraud alert or credit freeze when appropriate.
• Use IdentityTheft.gov for an identity-theft recovery plan.

How to Report a Jury Duty Scam

• Federal Trade Commission — ReportFraud.ftc.gov
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center — IC3.gov
• The court being impersonated
• The U.S. Marshals Service if its name was used
• Your local law-enforcement agency when appropriate
• Your bank, card issuer, payment app, exchange, or wire-transfer provider if money was sent

Preserve the evidence before deleting anything.

Information to Save

• Caller ID number
• Callback number
• Name used by the caller
• Fake badge number
• Case or warrant number
• Voicemails
• Texts
• Emails
• Attachments
• Website URLs
• Payment instructions
• Cryptocurrency wallet addresses
• Gift-card information
• Receipts and transaction confirmations

Do not post those details publicly when they contain your own personal or financial information.

Official Jury Duty Scam Resources

• U.S. Courts — Juror Scams
• U.S. Courts — Federal Court Finder
• FTC — 2026 Missed Jury Duty Scam Warning
• FBI IC3 — 2026 Government Impersonation Scam Warning
• U.S. Marshals Service — Impersonation Scam Warning
• FTC ReportFraud
• IdentityTheft.gov

If the caller claims to be a federal agent or invites you to a video meeting, read our FBI scam call and fake video meeting guide for steps to verify whether the agent actually contacted you.

Related Impersonation and Threat Scams

These ThinkItsAScam.com warnings use a similar tactic: a threatening or authoritative message pressures the recipient to act before independently verifying the claim.

• Traffic Citation Text Scam Warning
• Jones Day Scam? Law Firm Impersonation Warning

Jury Duty Scam FAQs

Is a call saying I missed jury duty a scam?

If the caller threatens immediate arrest and demands payment to resolve the problem, treat it as a scam. If you are concerned that you genuinely missed jury duty, end the call and contact the court independently.

Can you be arrested for missing real jury duty?

Ignoring an actual jury summons can have legal consequences depending on the court and applicable law. However, legitimate courts do not resolve the matter by calling and demanding immediate payment to prevent arrest.

Will a court call you about missed jury duty?

Communication procedures vary by jurisdiction. For federal jury service, U.S. Courts says most initial contact with prospective jurors is through U.S. mail. Real court phone or email communication will not request sensitive information or demand payment to prevent arrest.

Will a court text an arrest warrant?

The FTC says real law enforcement does not text or email arrest warrants demanding payment. Official-looking documents sent after a threatening scam call can be fabricated.

Do courts demand payment over the phone?

No. The FTC says courts do not demand immediate payment over the phone. Hang up and independently contact the court if you are concerned about an actual obligation.

Will the U.S. Marshals Service call me for money?

The U.S. Marshals Service says it will never ask for credit-card, debit-card, or gift-card numbers, wire transfers, bank-routing information, or Bitcoin deposits to resolve these supposed obligations.

Why does the jury duty scammer know my name and address?

Personal information can come from public records, social media, commercial databases, prior data exposure, and other sources. Knowing personal details does not prove the caller is a government official.

Can scammers spoof a courthouse telephone number?

Yes. Federal courts and law-enforcement agencies warn that scammers can manipulate caller ID so a call appears to originate from a legitimate government telephone number.

What is the jury duty Bitcoin kiosk scam?

A scammer claims you must deposit cash into a Bitcoin or cryptocurrency ATM to pay a jury fine or clear an arrest warrant. Legitimate courts do not use cryptocurrency kiosks to prevent arrest for missed jury service.

What should I do if I really think I missed jury duty?

Locate the court’s official website independently and call the clerk or jury-services office using the published number. Do not use a phone number, website, or link supplied by the threatening caller.

How much money are people losing to jury duty scams?

In a September 17, 2026 warning, the FBI reported 6,833 IC3 complaints involving scams alleging missed jury duty or a court date between January 2025 and July 2026, with nearly $36 million in reported losses.

Where do I report a jury duty scam?

Reports can be submitted to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at IC3.gov. You can also notify the real court or government agency being impersonated.

Bottom Line

The missed-jury-duty payment threat is a well-documented government-impersonation scam and remains active nationwide.

The latest FBI data show thousands of complaints and tens of millions of dollars in reported losses.

Today’s scammers may do much more than make a frightening phone call. They can spoof government telephone numbers, use real judges’ and officers’ names, send fake arrest warrants, create government-looking websites, and direct victims to cryptocurrency kiosks.

The safest response is simple:

Do not pay. Do not provide sensitive information. End the contact and independently call the real court.

Have You Received a Jury Duty Scam Call, Text, or Email?

Share the non-sensitive details of your experience below. Current reports may help other people recognize the latest versions of the scam.

• Did the caller say you missed jury duty?
• Which court or agency did the caller claim to represent?
• Did the person use the name of a real judge or officer?
• Did caller ID show a government number?
• Were you sent a fake warrant or legal document?
• Did the message contain a website?
• Were you told not to hang up?
• What payment method was requested?
• Were you directed to a Bitcoin or payment kiosk?
• Were you able to verify the claim with the actual court?

Please do not post your full name, home address, telephone number, Social Security number, date of birth, court case number containing personal information, bank details, card numbers, passwords, gift-card numbers, cryptocurrency private keys, authentication codes, or other sensitive information.

Page researched and updated: September 18, 2026.

ThinkItsAScam.com is an independent consumer-information website and is not affiliated with the U.S. Courts, U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Federal Trade Commission, any state or local court, sheriff’s department, police department, bank, payment service, or government agency. Real jury service is an important legal obligation, and procedures differ among federal, state, and local courts. This article concerns impersonation scams and should not be interpreted as advice to ignore a genuine jury summons, warrant, court order, or legal obligation. Verify genuine court matters directly with the appropriate court. This article is for general consumer education and is not legal advice.