DEDHAM, Mass. — Two Massachusetts women fell victim to a “missed jury duty” phone scam and lost thousands of dollars on Monday, prompting an urgent warning from a local sheriff’s office.
Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick McDermott warned Bay Staters to beware of a recent uptick in calls from scammers claiming to work for the sheriff or local police departments.
McDermott’s warning comes after a Sharon woman and a Dedham woman came forward after sending a combined $6,700 to scammers.
“The Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office never makes calls like this, and neither do local police departments,” McDermott said in a statement shared with Boston 25 News. “Just hang up on anyone who is demanding money and acting like they are from our office, or another law enforcement agency, threatening you with arrest or detainment for things like ‘missed jury duty’ or an ‘outstanding warrant.’”
In the case of the Sharon victim, McDermott’s office said the woman transferred $5,250 in Bitcoin out of fear she would be detained for missing jury duty.
“Someone acting like they worked for our office had left her a voicemail about missed jury duty. When she returned the call, the voicemail on the other end indicated it was connected to the sheriff’s office. McDermott’s office explained in a news release. “That triggered a series of phone conversations with the scammer, which led the woman to the Bitcoin kiosk to transfer the money. When the woman told the man on the other end that there was a sign on the machine warning users of such scams, she was told that if she refused, she would be detained for 10-12 days. She then transferred the money under duress.”
In the case of the Dedham victim, McDermott’s office said the woman transferred $1,450 in Bitcoin at a kiosk in Boston’s Roslindale section after she, too, was threatened with arrest.
“Someone claiming to be a lieutenant with the sheriff’s office told her there was a warrant out for her for missing jury duty and that if she did not pay it immediately, she would be arrested and detained for 72 hours,” McDermott’s office explained. “This scammer sent the victim a fraudulent court document to back up his claims, along with instructions on how to pay the bond.”
McDermott urged anyone who gets a suspicious call to contact their local police department immediately.
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