Jury Duty Scams: How the Missed-Jury-Duty Fine Scam Works and How to Check (2026)
Every state, D.C., Puerto Rico and federal court · Last reviewed November 4, 2026
The call sounds official. Someone says he's a deputy, a marshal or a court officer. You missed jury duty, he says, a judge has signed a warrant, and you'll be arrested today unless you pay a fine right now, usually with a gift card, a prepaid card, a wire transfer or cryptocurrency.
It's a scam, every time. No court in the country collects a jury fine that way. Courts and police across the states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the federal system all warn about it, and they describe the same script.
This page explains how the scam works, what real courts do and never do, how to check whether a summons or notice is real, and where to report a scam. Everything here is current as of November 2026.
How the scam works
The details change, but the pieces stay the same.
A voice of authority. Callers claim to be police, deputies, constables, marshals or court staff. They may give a badge number and the names of real federal judges (federal). In Hawaii and Utah, courts warn that scammers use real officers' names and spoofed government phone numbers. In Washington, they can recite your name, address and even your Social Security number.
A deadline. You must pay now, or be arrested today. The pressure is the point; it keeps you from stopping to check.
A strange way to pay. Real fines are paid to a court clerk. Scammers ask for gift cards, prepaid or reloadable cards, wire transfers, payment apps or cryptocurrency. In January 2026, Delaware's courts flagged a version that sends official-looking papers steering victims to a kiosk that is really a bitcoin ATM. In Georgia, Walton County's clerk reports callers demanding fines of $1500 to $2000 on prepaid cards.
Your personal data. Some scammers want information more than money: your Social Security number, date of birth, or bank or card numbers.
Texts, emails and links. The scam has moved beyond phone calls. The District of Columbia's federal court has warned about messages with links to fake jury forms. Cook County, Illinois, warns about texts and emails about a jury duty failure-to-appear list. Utah's courts warn about official-looking texts that demand payment through links or QR codes, and the federal court in Puerto Rico warned in June 2026 that it doesn't ask for payments, card details or passwords by text or through links.
Even paper. Nebraska's courts warn that scammers send fake jury notices, warrants and tickets by mail as well as by email, phone and text.
What real courts do
Real jury contact follows a slow, written process.
- The first contact is a summons by mail. Connecticut says its first contact is always a summons in the mail, and that Jury Administration doesn't call or email you unless you contacted it first. Iowa says your first contact will always be a summons sent by U.S. mail. In Illinois, Cook County says official jury notices come only by first-class or certified mail.
- A missed date brings a letter. In Florida, the Ninth Circuit says people who fail to appear get a letter, never a phone call. Michigan's Attorney General says delinquent jurors are never contacted by phone to pay fines, and that real notices come by mail.
- Only a judge imposes a penalty, after a hearing. In Kentucky, a missed date brings a postcard and a mailed notice, then a court order to appear at a hearing, and only a judge at that hearing can impose a penalty. The federal court in New Mexico says it won't fine anyone for missing jury service without first having the person appear before a judge.
- Warrants are served in person. In Louisiana, Baton Rouge's court says warrants are always served in person by an officer.
Some courts do contact jurors electronically, but never for money. Alaska sends summonses by email that point you to its Jury Dashboard, and says it will never email you threatening fines or jail. Oregon's courts may text jury reminders, but those texts won't ask for personal details or money. In New Jersey, real court messages may ask only for your date of birth and home address.
What real courts never do
Put the warnings from the state pages together and you get a short list. A real court or sheriff will never:
- call or text to demand payment of a fine for missing jury duty;
- threaten to arrest you unless you pay over the phone;
- ask you to pay with a gift card, prepaid card, wire transfer, payment app or cryptocurrency (California, Nebraska, New Jersey, South Dakota);
- ask for your Social Security number, bank account or card number by phone (Colorado, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri);
- ask to meet you in person to hand over money (Hawaii, Tennessee);
- let you pay a fine instead of serving (Texas).
The federal courts say the same: they don't require anyone to give sensitive information in a phone call or email, and the U.S. Marshals Service doesn't call people to arrange payment of fines for missing jury duty (federal).
How to check whether it's real
- Hang up, or don't reply. Don't click a link or call back a number from the call, text or email. Scammers can fake caller ID.
- Find the number yourself. Use the phone number printed on a summons you already have, or look up the jury office on the court's official website. The table below links the official juror site for every jurisdiction.
- Ask the jury office directly. Tell them what happened and ask whether you have a summons or a missed date. In Nevada, Washoe County can check a summons by the six- or seven-digit number printed on it.
- Check the web address. Official court sites use government addresses. Oregon's court pages have courts.oregon.gov in the address, and genuine Alabama state court email comes from an alacourt.gov address.
Some state pages list a statewide jury line, such as Connecticut's Jury Administration at 1-800-842-8175, the Massachusetts Office of Jury Commissioner at 1-800-843-5879, and the New York court system at (800) 268-7869. In the District of Columbia, the Superior Court's Juror Office is at 202-879-4604 and the federal court at 202-354-3360.
How to report a scam
Report it even if you didn't pay. It helps police warn others.
- Local police or the sheriff. Most of the state pages point you here first.
- The Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov (District of Columbia).
- The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov, or your local FBI or U.S. Marshals office (federal, Utah).
- Your state's consumer protection office. Colorado points to the Attorney General's Stop Fraud Colorado site. Nebraska and South Dakota point to their Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. North Carolina takes reports at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
- Local scam lines. In Ohio, Cuyahoga County runs a Scam Squad at 216-443-SCAM (7226).
- The jury office. Let the court know too; many courts post warnings when a new version of the scam appears.
If you already gave out information. Report it to the police right away. In Illinois, the Attorney General's Identity Theft Hotline is 1-866-999-5630. If you shared a card or bank number, call the bank or card company as well.
Frequently asked questions
Will a court call me if I missed jury duty?
Almost never to collect money. Real notices about a missed date come by mail, and any penalty comes from a judge after a hearing. A call that says you missed jury duty and must pay now is a scam. If you're worried you really did miss a date, call the jury office at a number you look up yourself.
Can I pay a jury duty fine over the phone or with a gift card?
No. Courts don't collect jury fines by phone, and none accept gift cards, prepaid cards, wire transfers, payment apps or cryptocurrency for them. Anyone who asks you to pay that way is a scammer.
Will the court ever text or email me about jury duty?
Some courts do, for reminders or to point you to an online portal. Oregon sends text reminders and Alaska sends summonses by email. But a real court message won't threaten you with arrest or ask for payment or financial information. When in doubt, go to the court's website yourself instead of clicking a link.
How do I know if my jury summons is real?
A real summons usually arrives by mail and gives the court's name, a juror or participant number, and instructions for responding on an official website or by phone. To be sure, look up the jury office on the court's official website yourself and call to confirm. The table above links the official juror site for every jurisdiction.
What should I do if I gave the caller money or my Social Security number?
Report it to local police right away, and to the Federal Trade Commission or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. If you shared a card or bank number, call the bank or card company. In Illinois, the Attorney General's Identity Theft Hotline can help.
Can a warrant for missing jury duty be cleared by paying?
No. A real warrant comes from a judge, and you deal with it through the court, not a caller. Texas's Tarrant County says no warning call comes before a warrant, and Louisiana's Baton Rouge court says warrants are served in person by an officer.