This Florida Bar News article discusses a Sarasota victim who was defrauded of $12,000 in a sophisticated jury duty scam. The victim was contacted by a scammer pretending to be a Sarasota County Sheriff's deputy and told that they had an arrest warrant for failing to appear for jury duty. The victim was then directed to a "Bonding Transition Center" to make payment to satisfy the warrant. In reality, the "Bonding Transition Center" was a Bitcoin ATM machine. The victim deposited more than $12,000 in three separate cryptocurrency accounts, as instructed. Investigators say that the inmate allegedly used prison phones to conduct the scam. The accomplice, who was not incarcerated, helped redirect the stolen money into several accounts. The inmate directed the accomplice to purchase prepaid phones and deliver them to the prison via drone. The indictments follow investigations by the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office and FBI investigators based in Florida and Georgia.  

Recommendations to Prevent Jury Duty Scams:

• Be wary of unsolicited calls: Legitimate courts and law enforcement agencies typically do not contact you by phone regarding jury duty.

• Verify information: If you receive a call about jury duty, hang up and contact the courthouse directly to verify the information.

• Never pay a fine over the phone: Legitimate courts will not ask for payment over the phone.

• Do not provide personal information: Do not provide your Social Security number, bank account information, or other personal information to anyone who calls you about jury duty.

• Report suspicious activity: If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, report it to the authorities.

By following these tips, you can help protect yourself from jury duty scams.