Morris County Sheriff's Office Warns Public of Jury Duty Arrest Warrant Scam

Morris County Sheriff's Office Warns Public of Jury Duty Arrest Warrant Scam

The Morris County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about an ongoing telephone scam in which criminals falsely claim that victims have an active arrest warrant for allegedly failing to appear for jury duty.

View a Video Message from Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon

The scammers are using sophisticated phone number spoofing technology to make the caller ID display the legitimate Morris County Sheriff's Office's telephone number, (973) 285-6610. While the call may appear to be from the Sheriff's Office, it is not.

During these calls, scammers typically identify themselves as law enforcement officials and tell victims that a warrant has been issued for their arrest. They often pressure victims to remain on the phone and discourage them from contacting family members, attorneys or law enforcement in an effort to prevent them from verifying the information.

To make the scam appear legitimate, callers may send victims fraudulent documents, including fake arrest warrants and supplemental paperwork containing official-looking seals, signatures or court information.

The Morris County Sheriff's Office reminds the public:

• Law enforcement agencies will never demand payment to avoid arrest or resolve an arrest warrant.
• The Sheriff's Office will never instruct anyone to transfer money through Bitcoin kiosks, gift cards, wire transfers or other unconventional payment methods.
• Caller ID can be manipulated and should not be relied upon to verify the identity of the caller.
• Legitimate court matters and arrest warrants are handled through established legal procedures, not through demands for immediate payment over the telephone.

Residents who receive one of these calls should hang up immediately. Do not provide personal information, banking information or send money.

Contact: Vincent Vitale, Morris County Director of Communications, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 973-285-6015

If there is any question whether a call is legitimate, residents should contact the Morris County Sheriff's Office directly using a trusted telephone number obtained from an official source -- not the number displayed on caller ID.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by this scam or has suffered a financial loss is encouraged to report the incident to the Morris County Sheriff's Office.

The Sheriff's Office also encourages residents to share this information with family members, friends and neighbors -- particularly older adults, who are frequently targeted by scams of this nature. Public awareness remains one of the most effective tools for preventing fraud.