Residents of Thurston County, watch your phones for scammers posing as officials to swindle you out of your hard-earned money. The Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and County Jury Administration are on high alert after receiving multiple reports of a phone scam where individuals are falsely informed they've missed jury duty and are coerced into revealing personal information under the threat of arrest. This scam is a crafty scheme, leveraging the intimidation wielded by the legal system to prey on the unwary.
The con-artists' approach is simple yet effective, they call unsuspecting residents, claim that they've missed jury duty, then demand sensitive details such as bank account or social security numbers, often with the urgency that payment is required to "clear the warrant." In this digital age of prolific frauds, Thurston County wants you aware that such calls are erroneous, no county employee will call demanding your personal financial information over a missed jury summons. If you get such a call, "hang up immediately," as officials suggest.
The official line from the county is that all communications regarding jury service are dispatched by mail. If your presence at jury duty is missed, don't expect a call from a county employee. In an effort to combat these scam calls, which have been detailed by Thurston County's notification, the Sheriff’s Office is instructing residents to take specific actions. Should you receive one of these dubious calls, hang up straight away. And if you've already fallen prey to these cunning tactics and disclosed information, report it immediately.
Anyone seeking to verify jury service status or report suspicious activity can visit the county’s website or utilize the designated contact numbers, which are as follows: For jury service verification, the number to call is 360-754-4109, and to report scams, contact the Thurston County Sheriff's Non-Emergency line at 360-704-2740.
