Rutherford County residents are being hit with a new twist on an old scam, and this one is dressed up in the language of “grand jury duty.” Law enforcement said Friday that scammers are calling and texting locals, claiming the person has missed grand jury service and now faces arrest or hefty fines unless they pay up immediately. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office stressed that these threats are bogus and that real court officials do not call people to demand money or sensitive personal information. Instead, officials are urging anyone who gets one of these messages to hang up and double-check any jury issue using official mail or by contacting the courts directly.
Federal court and local guidance
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee has put out its own warning, reminding residents that first contact with prospective jurors always comes through U.S. mail, not a surprise phone call. In the court’s words, “Federal Court officials will also never request that you make any payment of a fine over the phone.” According to the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, officials also will not ask for Social Security numbers, driver’s license information or payment via gift cards, Venmo, PayPal or cryptocurrency. Anyone unsure about a federal jury notice can call the jury administrator at (615) 736-5483. The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office echoed that guidance in a “Please share” Facebook post responding to local reports of the scam.
How the scam is playing out locally
This is not just a theoretical threat. Recent cases show how fast scammers are upgrading their tactics. In October 2024, con artists used artificial intelligence to mimic a sheriff’s captain’s voice and convinced a resident to deposit $7,500 in bitcoin, according to WGNS. More recently, a caller pretending to be the county fire marshal allegedly pressured a Murfreesboro bar into paying roughly $1,700 via a bitcoin ATM and MoneyGram, a case detailed in a report on a scammer who pressured a Murfreesboro bar into paying roughly $1,700.
How to protect yourself
Law enforcement and consumer protection officials say the best defense is simple: if someone calls out of the blue about missed jury duty and demands money, hang up. Do not send cash, do not buy gift cards and do not use cryptocurrency to “clear” a supposed warrant. Any real jury matter will be handled through official mail or verified court phone numbers. The Tennessee Attorney General’s Consumer Affairs division has flagged jury duty impostor scams and urges people to report suspicious calls to local law enforcement and state consumer authorities. The Tennessee Attorney General’s Office outlines common red flags to watch for. For federal jury questions, residents can call the court’s jury administrator at (615) 736-5483. To report fraud, officials recommend filing a complaint at ReportFraud.FTC.gov or with the FBI through IC3.
Rutherford County officials are asking residents to spread the word and to call the sheriff’s office if they think they have been targeted. In a landscape of ever more sophisticated impostor schemes, a healthy dose of skepticism toward unsolicited calls and texts remains the strongest protection.
