FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2018
Warning: Potentially Fraudulent Phone Calls Regarding Jury Service Resurface in the District of New Mexico
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The United States District Court for the District of New Mexico has recently been notified of an individual who was targeted with a scam phone call and threatened with prosecution for failing to comply with jury service.
The caller specifically identified himself as an officer from the Sherriff’s Department, stating that a warrant to arrest the individual had been issued by the court for further execution by the United States Marshal Service. Additionally, the caller provided the individual with instructions on where to submit a payment of fine in order to resolve the situation. This request was not legitimate and did not originate from the court or other court related agencies.
Federal courts do not require anyone to pay a fine or provide sensitive information in an unsolicited telephone call. It is a crime for anyone to falsely represent himself or herself as a federal court official and such an offense is taken very seriously by the federal judiciary.
Persons receiving such a telephone call should not provide the requested information or pay any fines, and should contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at (505) 889-1300, selecting option #1 when prompted, to report the incident. In the District of New Mexico, the individual may also contact the United States District Court at 505-348-2000 to verify that there are no matters pending before the court in their name.
Stay current with the United States Courts - District of New Mexico by visiting www.nmd.uscourts.gov
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