The Berks County district attorney’s office is once again warning of a phone scam in which callers posing as deputy sheriffs or other court officials demand immediate payment to resolve an arrest warrant for failing to appear for jury duty.
The warning is the latest issued this year by the DA’s office involving this and related court-scams.
Officials have advised that the scammers sometimes use the names of actual officers when making the calls.
In the warning issued Monday, officials reminded residents not to provide personal information or financial information, or make any payment to the caller.
Those who receive scam calls should hang up immediately and contact the sheriff’s office at 610-478-6240, Berks detectives at 610-478-7171, or their local police department.
Residents should be aware of the following:
• Legitimate notices concerning jury duty and other court matters are generally sent through official correspondence. Courts and law enforcement agencies will not demand immediate payment over the phone to avoid arrest.
• Scammers may demand payment through cryptocurrency or other electronic payment methods. Government agencies do not demand payment through these means.
• Fraudsters often use caller-ID spoofing to make a call appear to originate from an actual government agency. If you’re concerned about a call, independently obtain the agency’s official telephone number and contact the agency to verify the information.
• Scammers may provide convincing-looking documents by email or text message to make their claims appear legitimate. Official seals, letterhead and legal terminology do not establish that the documentation is genuine.
• Scammers frequently use high-pressure tactics designed to create fear and stress. They may insist that you remain on the phone until the matter is resolved to stop you from independently verifying their claims. If you are unsure whether a call is legitimate, hang up and contact the agency directly using a telephone number you have independently verified.