Scam artists are targeting Lassen County residents with a sophisticated new phone fraud scheme that falsely claims victims face immediate arrest for missing federal jury duty.
Officials with the Lassen County Superior Court and local law enforcement agencies issued a warning this week after receiving reports of callers threatening residents with active arrest warrants for failing to appear before a federal grand jury.
To trick victims, the scammers are posing as local law enforcement officers—frequently using names like “Sergeant Woods”—and may even reference the names of real judges or mention public case details to sound convincing. Furthermore, the perpetrators are utilizing caller ID spoofing technology to make it appear as though the incoming calls are originating directly from the courthouse or local police departments.
Authorities remind the public that the Court and local law enforcement will never do any of the following:
- Demand immediate payment over the phone to avoid arrest.
- Ask you to withdraw cash, mail cash, or buy gift cards.
- Require payments via cryptocurrency or send barcodes to use at a payment kiosk.
- Instruct you to keep the matter secret or claim you are under a “gag order.”
If you receive one of these fraudulent calls, hang up immediately. Do not use any phone numbers or contact information provided by the caller. Instead, verify the status of any alleged legal matter by contacting the agency directly using an official phone number looked up independently through a trusted source.
