PIERRE, S.D.- Chief Justice David Gilbertson and Attorney General Marty Jackley are warning South Dakotans of the “jury duty scam” that continues to resurface in South Dakota. The scam typically involves a caller from a disguised or overseas phone number calling to say that a person has missed a summons for jury duty. The caller will ask for a Social Security number or other personal identifying information to verify jury information. They use the threat of arrest to convince trusting individuals to provide this information.
This scam is not new to South Dakota and resurfaces in varying forms. In the most recent variation of the scam the caller’s number is from Jamaica and is asking for private information about jury duty. The caller then informs the person that they have missed jury duty and a warrant has been issued for their arrest. The caller asks for a credit card number to pay a fee to recall the arrest warrant and re-enroll the person for jury duty.
“Jury duty is essential to our judicial process and we encourage citizens who are undertaking their civic responsibility to take extra precautions to avoid these types of scams,” said Jackley.
It is important for citizens to remember that the Court does no use email or phone solicitations to ask for private, sensitive, identifying information related to jury duty. In very rare circumstances, the Court may call potential jurors, but if a call is made, the Court will already have the identifying information that is needed. In addition, the Court does not use any offshore or out-of-state third parties to make phone calls about jury duty, and there would never be any reason for a juror to supply the Court with a credit card number for any reason.
If you have been a victim of this scam or need any additional information, contact the South Dakota Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-300-1986 or consumerhelp@state.sd.us.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, March 25, 2011
CONTACT: Sara Rabern, (605) 773-3215
