Important! - Tell everyone you know about this new phishing scam...
According to the
FBI, and verified by
Snopes (maybe it should be the other way around), there is a valid reason to be concerned about phone calls regarding Jury Duty.
Imagine you get a call from a court officer, or jury duty coordinator, letting you know you missed Jury Duty. You claim that you never received a notice. They then ask you for your information, such as social security number, date of birth, etc. so they can look it up, or cancel the arrest warrant. Sometimes, they'll offer a solution, payable by credit card. Seems like it could be legit, and that's why this scam can be so effective.
This scam isn't new, but apparently it's seen some growth recently and is similar to other phishing scams. The surest way to combat this is to not provide information when someone calls you. Instead, you should be able to look up their contact information and call them. Don't trust a number they provide, and keep in mind that they will rarely, if ever, contact you by phone.
And, if you see these things coming from a mile away, you can always gather as much information as you can to pass on to law enforcement. Some lead you provide may keep someone less aware from getting scammed.
Be sure to pass this on!