My daughter is now driving home, safe, from the county courthouse.
We lost no money on this, but the police officers she spoke to said that people have lost money in the range of $800-$2000.
This morning I got a call from a person who identified himself as Deputy David O’Neal, saying that my adult daughter needed to call him immediately, as she had missed her court appearance to report for jury duty. Since she has not lived at this address (or phone number) for quite a few years, I challenged him on this, but he gave me a number that she needed to call, so I relayed it to her at the end of her school-teaching day.
She called me back and said, “Please stay on the phone, Mom, because I don’t feel safe.”
She had called the number he gave me, and he had threatened her, saying that she needed to pay two misdemeanor fines for failing to report for jury duty. She also challenged him, and he further threatened her, saying that if the phone call was disconnected, he would send a squad immediately and she would spend the night in jail. Her response was to call over her principal, since she was still at work, and the alleged Deputy backed down and told her instead to go the the county courthouse.
That was the location she called me from. I stayed on the line as she got shuttled back and forth by confused security guards, because (of course!) all offices there were closed after 5 p.m. Finally an officer came out and talked to her, and he explained that this is a KNOWN SCAM, and that people in multiple states are being targeted. It seems to be just now blowing up. The officer (the real one) congratulated her and told her that she was the smartest potential victim he’d run into yet. That’s when he told her the monies lost by other people who have been victims of this scam. These scammers are asking for gift cards, which should NEVER be agreed to. I also reminded my daughter that no one should EVER pay money to people who demand it over the phone. If it is real, they WILL send a letter.
She will be filing a formal report with our city police, and also an “informational complaint” with the State Attorney General.
But, while I was still on the phone with her, the officer explained that the FBI is on this one, and is asking that we tell everyone we can.
So here is my very first diary. Not what I imagined I would be writing, but the fastest way of telling people that I know.
Stay safe out there, everyone!