Oakland Co. Woman Scammed Out Of $18K In Fake Jury Duty Call: Sheriff

OAKLAND COUNTY — The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is warning residents to not fall for a jury duty scam after they said a Huntington Woods woman lost $18,000.

Officials said a brazen caller, who posed as a law enforcement representative, told the woman an arrest warrant had been issued for her by federal officials because she failed to appear for jury service.

The phony law enforcement officer kept the woman on the phone for more than five hours, as she went to multiple financial institutions to obtain the money, according to the sheriff's office.

The phony law enforcement officer gave her fake names for individuals purportedly representing the Sheriff’s Office, as well as federal law enforcement and fraudulent case numbers, according to the sheriff's office.

The woman was also warned not to tell anyone about the call as it would violate a gag order, according to the sheriff's office.

She was also told that she would be arrested if she went to the Oakland County government complex, according to the sheriff's office.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said don't believe it.

"Just hang up," Bouchard said. "We continue to get reports of residents being hit with these phony phone calls. The Sheriff’s Office will never demand immediate payment over the phone. Ever. Just hang up."

Bouchard also reiterated that neither law enforcement nor court officials will ever ask for any kind of immediate payment to avoid arrest.

Representatives from both the U.S. District Court – Eastern Michigan District in Detroit and Oakland County Circuit Court said delinquent jurors would be contacted by mail, never by phone.