MADISON, Wis. — Residents in Dane County are being targeted by a sophisticated phone scam involving individuals posing as officials from the local sheriff’s office, claiming that targets have missed jury duty and consequently, there are warrants out for their arrest unless they pay a supposed fine.
Elise Schaffer, a Public Information Officer with the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, noted that with each technological advancement, scammers also refine their tactics. She highlighted that although many believe they could easily recognize a scam, the reality often proves different. “These calls are extremely convincing and can be very intimidating,” Schaffer explained. “They often catch people at moments when they’re most vulnerable.”
The recent wave of fraudulent activities involves scammers accusing individuals of failing to appear for jury duty. They manipulate the targets by claiming that there are pending arrest warrants which can only be resolved through immediate payment.
Schaffer recounted an incident involving a woman who had recently moved residences. “The scammers had somehow obtained her new address and informed her that her jury duty summons had been lost in the mail due to her relocation,” she said. They then demanded money to cancel the arrest warrant allegedly issued in her name.
In another instance, a local resident reported a call where the scammer knew her address and falsely claimed that several letters had been sent to her regarding her court appearance. Once money was requested, the resident recognized the call as fraudulent.
“The sheriff’s office does send out jury duty notices through the mail, but we never request money,” Schaffer clarified. “If someone contacts you asking for money in relation to jury duty, the safest action is to hang up and report the incidence to authorities.”
Should residents receive such suspicious calls, they are urged to immediately contact the Dane County Sheriff’s Office through their tip line to report the interaction.
Furthermore, one of the phone numbers linked to this series of scams is listed as (608) 284-6800. Authorities advise extreme caution if contacted by this number or by any caller making similar demands.
Residents are reminded to remain vigilant, always verify the identity of callers claiming to represent any official entity, and never transfer money or provide personal information over the phone without absolute verification of the caller’s authenticity. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate these incidents and work on measures to prevent further occurrences.