SOUTH HADLEY — A recent wave of jury duty scams has prompted the South Hadley Police Department to issue a warning about fraudulent phone calls threatening legal action for missed jury service.
According to authorities, scammers have been impersonating state or federal court officials and contacting citizens via phone or email.
They falsely claim they are verifying information for jury duty or assert that the individual has failed to appear for their civic duty, demanding personal information such as social security numbers or credit card details under the pretext of confirming identity or paying fines.
The police department emphasized that these calls are scams designed to pressure individuals into providing sensitive information that can lead to identity theft and fraud.
Officials reiterated that federal and state courts do not ask for confidential information over the phone or via email and never request social security or credit card numbers.
Most legitimate court communications are conducted through the U.S. mail.
Residents who are concerned about potentially missing jury duty should not provide any personal information over the phone.
Instead, they are advised to verify their jury service status directly by calling the Office of Jury Commissioner for the Commonwealth at 1-800-THE-JURY (1-800-843-5879).
Authorities urge anyone who receives a suspicious call or email purporting to be related to jury duty to refrain from sharing any personal information and to report the incident to the police.
