‘Frustrating’: Florida county sheriff warns of jury duty scam after victims lose $40,000 in one weekend
By Angela Rozier
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MARTIN COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — The Martin County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a jury duty scam that has cost victims thousands of dollars.
Scammers are calling residents, claiming they missed federal jury duty and now have a warrant out for their arrest. The callers demand immediate payment to avoid being taken into custody, often requesting payments through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, payment apps, or even cash pickups.
WPBF 25 news was rolling when one of the reported scammers phoned the sheriff’s office Tuesday afternoon while interviewing Sheriff John Budensiek.
Budensiek said these calls happen all the time. He shared details about a similar case this weekend when someone claiming to be a member of the sheriff’s office called a resident.
“Told her that she had a warrant for her arrest and that she needed to buy $26,000 in bitcoin for bond — which she did,” Budensiek said.
The sheriff’s office said that over $40,000 was lost to these scams this past weekend alone, with one victim losing $12,000.
Budensiek admits the chances of the victims getting their money back are not good.
“Zero! Zero,” Budensiek said. “We’ve arrested nobody as a result of this scam, zero.”
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“It’s frustrating, it’s so frustrating,” Budensiek said.
Officials said no legitimate law enforcement agency or court will ever call and demand money to avoid arrest.
Investigators said the scammers can sound very convincing, often spoofing real phone numbers, using the names of actual judges or deputies, and creating a sense of fear and urgency to pressure people into paying immediately.
The sheriff’s office is urging residents to warn their friends, family, and seniors to help prevent more people from falling victim to the scam.
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