The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents of a scam that continuously resurfaces in the area.
Victims report receiving a phone call stating they have missed jury duty and they have fees associated with their absence that must be paid. The caller may claim to be a deputy with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and use a name of a current CPSO deputy. They instruct the victim to either purchase a prepaid card or make a payment using a Bitcoin kiosk to void the warrant and avoid arrest.
THIS IS A SCAM!
Sheriff Tony Mancuso wants residents to know that under no circumstance will a deputy ever ask for money or any form of payment in lieu of missing jury duty or for an active warrant. Sheriff Mancuso wants to remind residents of a few tips to use to avoid becoming a victim of a scam:
- Resist the pressure to make an immediate decision. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act quickly
- Verify the information before sending any money
- Never send money based on a request made over the phone or in an e-mail.
For more tips on how to avoid being scammed, click here.
