Law enforcement agencies warn of rising impersonation and jury duty scams

Law enforcement agencies in the United States, including the Bradford County Sheriff’s Office and the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, are warning residents about increasing impersonation scams. These fraudulent callers often pose as police officers, U.S. marshals, or other government officials to threaten residents with arrest.

In some instances, scammers claim individuals have missed jury duty summons and demand immediate payment of fines via wire transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps like Venmo and Zelle to avoid legal consequences. Some reports indicate the use of AI-generated voices to make these impersonations more convincing.

Authorities emphasize that law enforcement will never demand payment over the phone to cancel a warrant or fine, and legal summons are typically handled in person. Federal data highlights the severity of such crimes, noting that seniors are frequent targets; the FBI reported that individuals aged 60 and older accounted for over $7.7 billion in internet crime losses last year.