BURLINGTON, Iowa — Officials in Des Moines County are raising alarms over a surge in fraudulent schemes involving jury duty, which have duped several residents recently. Local citizens have reported receiving intimidating calls and emails from scammers demanding money or personal information to avoid arrest.
The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office has clarified that such demands are deceptive and have no association with the usual judicial process. Scammers have been impersonating law enforcement officials, falsely claiming that the person contacted has the outstanding jury duty and will be arrested if a payment is not made immediately.
Authorities emphasized that legitimate law enforcement officers do not serve warrants via phone, email, or fax and that warrants are exclusively executed in-person. They also do not request payments through prepaid credit cards—a common tactic used by scammers.
To assist the public in distinguishing legitimate contacts from scams, the Sheriff’s Office has provided some guidelines. Citizens are urged not to disclose sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, financial details, or family background in unexpected phone calls purporting to relate to jury duty.
The U.S. Marshals Service also issued warnings following reports of similar scams in the region. They urged recipients of suspicious jury duty communications to contact their local District Court office directly during business hours. The U.S. District Court for this area provided the contact number for its Jury Unit, encouraging citizens to verify suspicious calls.
Moreover, the community is advised to report any fraudulent attempts to local law enforcement agencies or federal authorities, including the FBI or the U.S. Marshals Service. Such reports can help authorities track down the perpetrators and possibly prevent further scams.
This increase in jury duty scams appears to be part of a broader rise in telephonic fraud, experts note, highlighting the importance of public awareness and caution when handling unsolicited requests for money or personal data.
Residents recalling clear guidelines can protect themselves against such deceptive schemes: never make a payment over the phone to anyone claiming to be a law enforcement officer, always verify suspicious messages through official channels, and report phishing attempts to enhance community safety.
The Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office continues to actively investigate the reported cases and educates the public, striving to prevent future occurrences of this distressing scam.