untrappable

Jury duty scam calls: the warrant threat is fake

Editorially reviewed · Last updated July 21, 2026

Yes — this is a scam. No court or law enforcement agency calls to collect a jury-duty fine — the warrant, the fine, and the “marshal” are all fake.

Incoming call
(202) 555-0186
maybe: US Marshals Service
Voicemail transcript

“This is Deputy Marshal Grant Ellis with the United States Marshals Service. Our records show you failed to appear for federal jury duty, and a warrant has been issued for your arrest. You can resolve this today by paying a $1,900 civil citation. Stay on the line — do not hang up, or officers will be dispatched to your address.”

The Phone call, as received

Other versions you might get: A “local police officer” or “sheriff's deputy” instead of a marshal, a text or email with an official-looking “warrant” attached, or a follow-up caller who keeps you on the line while you drive to buy gift cards. Same script, same fix: hang up.

What to do right now

  1. Hang up. Don't press anything, don't call back, and don't stay on the line — “don't hang up” is part of the script, not the law.
  2. Don't pay and don't share personal details. No court collects fines by phone, and giving your Social Security number or date of birth risks identity theft.
  3. Check the claim yourself. Call the clerk of court's office for your local court using the number on its official website (federal courts are listed at uscourts.gov).
  4. Report it. File at [reportfraud.ftc.gov](https://reportfraud.ftc.gov), and notify the clerk of court so they can warn others.
  5. If you already paid, call your bank, card issuer, or the payment app immediately and ask them to reverse or freeze it, then report it right away.

How to make sure it never bites you

These calls reach you because your name, number, and address sit on sold and leaked lists — that's why the “marshal” seemed to know you. You can't unsell a list, but you can shrink it and filter what gets through — see how to stop scam calls.

Untrappable · Public service advisory

Stop the next one at the source

The calls keep coming because data brokers sell your number. Cutting that off is the only thing that reduces the volume — blocking one number won't, they just rotate. Start with the free steps.

Optional — if you'd rather it was handled for you

To actually cut the volume, a data-removal service files opt-out requests across the brokers selling your number and keeps you off their lists. You can do this by hand for free — the service is worth it because the removals don't stay put.

See data removal →

Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our verdicts. Why we can still be trusted.

Keep this · forward it to someone who needs it

Frequently asked

Will you actually be arrested for missing jury duty?
Not by a surprise phone call, ever. If you genuinely miss jury service, the court contacts you by U.S. mail, and any consequence goes through a judge — no one calls demanding an immediate fine to cancel a warrant. The FTC is blunt about these calls: you didn't miss jury duty, and they won't arrest you. The threat exists only to make you pay before you think.
Do courts ever call you about jury duty?
Almost all real contact between a court and a prospective juror happens through U.S. mail. The federal judiciary says court officials will never ask for sensitive information — like your Social Security number — or any payment in a phone call or email. So a caller demanding money or personal details to “resolve” a jury issue is an impersonator, whatever the caller ID says.
The caller ID showed the court / U.S. Marshals — how is that fake?
Caller ID is easily spoofed: scammers can make any name or number appear, including a real courthouse or police line. Courts warn that these calls are made to look like they come from a court or another government agency. Treat caller ID as decoration, not proof — hang up and call the court back on the number from its official website.
They sent me an arrest warrant by text or email — is it real?
No. Real law enforcement never texts or emails an arrest warrant — the FTC flagged this exact move in a 2026 alert. Scammers now send official-looking “warrant” documents, complete with a fine amount, to make the call feel real. However convincing the document looks, the delivery method alone tells you it's fake.
How do I report a jury duty scam call?
Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and notify the clerk of court's office at the court the caller claimed to be from — federal courts ask to hear about these attempts. If you lost money, also file with the FBI at ic3.gov. Include the number that called, the date, and what they demanded.

Related scams

Sources

A public service

Help protect someone else

Scams spread because people stay quiet about them. If this could have fooled you, it can fool someone you know — a parent, a friend, the family group chat. Passing it on is the easiest good thing you'll do today. It's safe to forward, and stands on its own as a record for a bank or the police.