The Metropolitan Police Department wishes to alert the public about two con games (scams) currently being perpetrated in the District of Columbia.
In the first scam a citizen is contacted over the telephone by an individual claiming to be with the court's jury duty section. The citizen is told he/she failed to appear for jury duty and is subject to a penalty. When the citizen states that he/she never received a notice the caller will ask for personal information, such as social security number, date of birth and even credit card number, to verify they never received a jury duty notice. Citizens should never give out personal information if they receive a call of this nature to avoid identity theft or credit card fraud. The court system does not contact citizens in this manner. If a citizen receives such a call they may contact the Jury Office of the Superior Court for the District of Columbia at (202) 879-4604 or 202/879-1604. The Jury Office for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia is (202) 354-3362.
In the second scam a citizen may receive an email that appears to come from a financial institution. The e-mail may state something to the effect that the citizen’s account information has been lost. The e-mail indicates that in an effort to avoid a financial loss and correct the situation the citizen should provide personal information. Citizens receiving such an email should not respond but contact their bank, credit union, etc.
Citizens are also urged to contact their local police department if they are contacted with either of these scams. Citizens in the District of Columbia may contact the department’s Financial Crimes and Fraud Unit at (202) 727-4159.