City Times Staff

Residents of Portage Co. are being scammed into believing they’ve missed jury duty.

According to Trish Baker, Portage Co. Clerk of Courts, several people across the county have reported receiving the scam telephone calls. Baker said residents are being told they’ve missed jury and must pay a fine for missing court.

The resident is then instructed to make their payment via money order or Pay Pal. Baker said at least one individual was almost taken victim of the scam.

“We will never, ever call you and ask for a payment for a missed jury appearance, ever,” Baker said. “We use the United States Mail exclusively to notify potential jurors. If that doesn’t work we will send a sheriff’s deputy out to serve you personally with paperwork.”

Every potential Portage County juror receives paperwork in October or November of the year preceding their service, Baker added, and are then notified several more times before the actual jury service date, always by the United States Postal Service.

“These telephone calls are from some scam artist preying on people with busy lives who fear they forgot a court hearing,” Baker said. “They are preying on people who don’t know how our court system works, and it is really upsetting.”

Anyone who receives a telephone call informing them that they missed jury duty and now owe a fine, they should hang up and call the Portage Co. Sheriff’s Office at (715) 346-1400.

For additional information on jury duty, contact Baker at (715) 346-1364.