Public Alert: New Juror Scam Seeks Personal Data

 

A new juror scam email, which fraudulently seeks personal information that could aid identity theft, has been reported in at least 14 federal court districts.

According to the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, citizens received emails claiming they had been selected for jury service and demanding that they return a form with such information as Social Security and driver’s license numbers, date of birth, cell phone number, and mother’s maiden name.

According to the email, anyone who failed to provide the information would be ordered to court to explain their failure, and could face fines and jail time. The email also falsely claimed that it was affiliated with eJuror, an online registration program used in about 80 U.S. court districts.

The email is fraudulent and has no connection to either the federal courts or to eJuror.

The Administrative Office noted that eJuror never requests that personal identification information be sent directly in an email response. Requests by courts to complete a qualification questionnaire would be initiated by formal written correspondence. Such letters tell jury participants how to access an authenticated, secure online connection. It is a federal crime to falsely represent oneself as a federal court employee.

U.S. District Court officials were urged to post warnings about the scam on their public web sites, and anyone suspecting a fraudulent email or call should contact the clerk's office at their nearest district court. Anyone who responded to the email should take appropriate steps to safeguard their personal and financial information, which may include contacting the major credit bureaus.

To learn more about juror scams, see this U.S. Courts web page, and this video.

Court Contacts
Federal courts do not require anyone to provide any sensitive information in an email or via telephone call.  Real court officials will not request social security numbers, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive information. Persons receiving such emails, telephone calls, or fictious mailings, should not provide the requested information, and should notify the Clerk of Court's office of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento at 916-930-4000 or Fresno at 559-499-5600.