Sangamon County Jury Commission Warns of Jury Duty Scam Targeting Residents

The Sangamon County Jury Commission, in coordination with the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office, is warning residents about a scam in which callers falsely claim someone has missed jury duty and must pay a fine immediately to avoid arrest.

The scammers pretend to be law enforcement or court officials and often spoof local phone numbers to make the call appear legitimate. They typically demand payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or mobile apps, and may try to collect sensitive information like Social Security numbers or bank account details.

Officials emphasize that neither the Jury Commission nor the Sheriff’s Office will ever call to demand payment or threaten arrest. Jury summons are always sent by mail, and no court representative will ask for money or personal data over the phone.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call should hang up right away and report it to the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office at (217) 753‑6666. You can also report the scam to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office or the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

For more information on how to protect yourself from phone scams, the FTC has a helpful article available at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/phone-scams.