Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana – Residents of Calcasieu Parish are being targeted by a persistent phone scam that claims they have missed jury duty and must pay fees to avoid arrest. According to Sheriff Gary “Stitch” Guillory, victims receive a call from someone posing as a deputy with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, stating that they have outstanding fees related to their absence from jury duty. The scammer may even use the name of a current CPSO deputy to sound more legitimate.
The caller then instructs the victim to purchase a prepaid card or make a payment using a Bitcoin kiosk to void the warrant and avoid being arrested. However, Sheriff Guillory wants to assure residents that this is a scam, and under no circumstances will a deputy ever ask for money or any form of payment in lieu of missing jury duty or for an active warrant.
To avoid falling prey to this scam, Sheriff Guillory offers the following tips:
- Resist the pressure to make an immediate decision. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly.
- Verify the legitimacy of the request and information before sending any money.
- Never send money based on a request made over the phone or in an email.
Sheriff Guillory warns that these scammers are preying on fear and urgency, threatening arrest if you are non-compliant. He advises residents to be wary of requests that ask for personal information or bank account numbers. The suspect may also ask for payment via wire transfers or gift cards and may direct you to not tell anyone and to stay on the phone until the transactions are complete.
Instead, Sheriff Guillory recommends verifying requests through official channels before taking any action. By being vigilant and taking the time to verify the authenticity of the call, residents can protect themselves from becoming victims of this scam.
Remember, if you receive a suspicious call, hang up and contact the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office directly to verify the legitimacy of the request.