Schuylkill County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Jacqueline L. Russell issued the warning after reports of calls that “spoof,” or mimic, the telephone number of the Schuylkill County Courts.
According to the court, the person making the call tells the intended victim that they failed to appear for jury duty and must pay a fine.
Court officials stressed that the Schuylkill County Courts will never request payment over the phone by credit card, gift card, electronic funds transfer, or other electronic payment method for failing to appear for jury duty.
Residents who receive a call from someone claiming to represent the Schuylkill County Courts and requesting payment for fines, fees, or court costs should not provide personal or financial information and should not make any form of payment.
Anyone receiving such a call is encouraged to hang up immediately and report the incident to state or local police.
Reports can also be made to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection by calling 800-441-2555 or emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov.
Court officials are urging residents to remain vigilant, particularly because caller ID information can be manipulated to make a fraudulent call appear to originate from a legitimate court telephone number.