10/15/24 Be Aware of Jury Duty and Court Summons/Warrant Phone Scam

The community is urged to be vigilant regarding an active telephone impersonation scam. The impersonator identifies himself as a current Sheriff Department Deputy, and sometimes confidently recites a fake badge number and other false information. The phone number associated with the caller ID does not show up as potential spam.

Victims have recently reported the following:

• A victim was told that a warrant has been issued for their arrest for not appearing in court after allegedly signing and submitting an electronic jury summons document. 
• A victim was told that two warrants (1. Contempt of Court and 2. Failure to Appear) have been issued by the local County Court judge for failing to appear in court. The fines totaled $25K and the victim can turn herself in at the county jail or post a bond. The bond would be 10% of the fine at $2,500 cash.
• Victims have received voicemails stating there is an important legal matter instructing them to call a phone number.
• Victims have been instructed to pay the bail amount to avoid going to jail.

Note that Courts will never call to collect a fine without first sending written documentation; do not pay money over the phone to someone claiming to be a court representative. A deputy will never call to request payment for failing to appear in court. A deputy will never make contact by phone or suggest meeting on the street, at a store, or a jail facility for a cash payment and will never ask anyone to wire money.

If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from the Sheriff’s office: please report the information to your local police department and notify the Colorado State Attorney General’s Office of the activity by visiting their Stop Fraud Colorado website. You may also call the Denver District Attorney’s Office Fraud Hotline at (720) 913-9179.  

To check whether you received a jury summons: please contact your local County or District Clerk of Court Office. Contact information for the courts can be found at Trial Courts by County | Colorado Judicial Branch or Trial Courts by District | Colorado Judicial Branch.