The Knox County Sheriff’s Office has been made aware of a jury summons scam targeting residents in our area.
The caller is claiming to be an employee of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and telling victims that they failed to appear for a jury summons. The caller then demands money or payment of a fine to avoid further legal action.
THIS IS A SCAM.
The Knox County Sheriff’s Office will NOT call you demanding payment over the phone for a missed jury summons, nor will a deputy or employee threaten you with arrest or other legal consequences if you do not immediately provide payment.
If you receive a call like this:
• Do NOT send money or provide credit/debit card, bank account, or other financial information.
• Do NOT provide personal information to the caller.
• Hang up the phone.
• If you believe you may have actually missed a jury summons, contact the Knox County Circuit Clerk’s Office directly using a verified phone number to confirm the information.
• If you have already provided money or financial information, contact your financial institution immediately and report the incident to law enforcement.
Scammers may use real names, badge numbers, employee names, or other publicly available information to make their calls sound legitimate. Do not rely on caller ID or information provided by the caller to verify their identity.
Please share this post with family and friends, especially elderly or vulnerable individuals who may be targeted by these types of scams.
When in doubt, hang up and independently verify the information through an official government office.
***Courtesy of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office Facebook Page***
