LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is flagging a recent announcement from the Third Circuit Court regarding an impersonation scam that claims the call recipient failed to appear for jury duty and must pay a fine.
Last week, the Third Circuit Court put out a news release detailing the scam.
The caller identifies himself as a member of the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office and indicates that a Venmo payment of between $1,500 and $2,000 will prevent the resident from being arrested.
This scam is an example of a government imposter scam, which Nessel details in a consumer alert on the Department’s website.
“Bad actors will go to great lengths to scam unsuspecting people – even impersonate law enforcement and threaten action,” Nessel said. “I hope everyone takes the time to read this warning from the Third Circuit Court and becomes familiar with other ways impersonation scams target consumers.”
The Third Circuit is reminding county residents that the sheriff’s office nor the court contacts by telephone or email to collect funds for allegations of missed jury service.
If you receive such a request, Nessel says to not make any payment.
Instead, contact the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office at (313) 224-0414 and provide information about the communication.
The kind of information that should be reported is the following:
- the date and exact time of the call;
- the number that that call came from; and
- whether you were contacted on a landline, cell phone or via text message.
The Department provides a library of resources for consumers to review anytime on a variety of topics.
Consumer complaints can be filed online at the Attorney General’s website, and questions can be answered by calling 877-765-8388
