Residents report suspicious jury duty calls to Carson City Sheriff's Office
At least four people have contacted the Carson City Sheriff's Office Saturday morning to report telephone calls threatening to arrest them if they did not pay money, a Carson City Volunteer In Public Service officer said.
VIPS Officer Leon Zdanowicz said four complaints have been made to the Sheriff's Office since 9:30 a.m. Saturday, each stating warrants had been issued for their arrest because of missed jury duty.
The Sheriff's Office has received one telephone call and three walk-in complaints so far, all reporting the caller demanded money in order to avoid arrest, Zdanowicz said.
Payment was demanded in the form of a "money pack" that's purchased a retail locations, he said.
One victim arrived at the Sheriff's Office with the caller still on the phone with him. The caller insisted the call was legitimate even after being spoken to by authorities, Zdanowicz said.
The suspicious calls have appeared as either a blocked private caller or as a local number with 775 area code, he said.
None of the victims paid any money to the caller, Zdanowicz said, although one had gone so far as to purchase the money packs before taking them to the Sheriff's Office with the suspicious caller still on the line.
Zdanowicz said neither the courts nor law enforcement will ever notify citizens by telephone of their jury duty summons. They are either contacted in person or by mail with official letter, he said.
Anyone receiving a call demanding money to avoid arrest should call the Carson City Sheriff's Office or other law enforcement agency right away and report the incident to authorities.