Tips to avoid scams

Don’t fall for the scam!

Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives, along with the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit and the Broward Clerk of Courts, are warning the public about the reappearance of a jury duty scam where scammers try to convince their victims that they’ve missed jury duty and must pay a fine or they’ll be arrested.

The public needs to know that law enforcement, the courts and the clerks office will never call you to threaten arrest and demand payment to avoid jail time.

In this most recent case, BSO detectives are investigating a scam attempt where a member of the public was contacted, informed they had missed federal jury duty and told that an arrest warrant had been issued. The scammer instructed the victim to deposit $15,000 into a kiosk as bail to avoid arrest. The victim was also told to take part in a video conference call with a member of the Broward County judiciary. Fortunately, the victim was suspicious, did not provide money or personal information, ended the call and contacted law enforcement to investigate.

Scammers are persistent, frequently change or alter their tactics and are skilled at using high-pressure techniques to frustrate and confuse their victims. Sometimes they spoof the phone number to make it look like the call is coming from a trusted agency or organization. Sometimes they use the names and titles of real agency employees. But those tactics are part of a ruse to earn your trust and separate you from your money.

It is easy to fall prey to their scams. Your best defense is your intuition. If something doesn’t seem right, immediately hang up the phone and call law enforcement. If you live in a BSO jurisdiction, call BSO’s non-emergency number 954-764-HELP (4357).

Remember these simple tips:

• BSO and law enforcement agencies will NEVER call asking for money, gift cards, cryptocurrency or personal banking information.

• Do not click on suspicious links or unexpected attachments in emails.

• Never send money because of an unexpected phone call, text or email.

• Never share personal, financial or banking information with someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

• Verify requests by contacting the organization directly using an official phone number or website.

• If something feels suspicious, hang up immediately and report the incident to local authorities.

PREVIOUS BSO NEWS RELEASES ON AVOIDING SCAMS:

Sheriff Dr. Tony Gives Tips on Avoiding Scams

Scammers Impersonate Law Enforcement, Target Families Moments After Arrest

Deceived and Drained: BSO Detectives Warn Residents of Bank Phone Scams

This Scam is Taking a Toll