A call says you missed jury duty. Going around now

The problem

In an alert dated 11 June 2026, the FTC described a scam being reported now. A caller says you missed jury duty and must pay a fine. They may claim to be a US Marshal or a local police officer, and they may already know your name or address. They threaten arrest unless you pay using a payment app or cryptocurrency.

After the call, a text or email may follow with a document that looks like an arrest warrant, showing how much you supposedly owe. It is designed to make the call feel official.

How it can happen

The pattern combines a believable role with a threat and a payment. A court officer or police officer is a figure of authority, and the idea of missing jury duty is a mistake that anyone might make. The caller turns that worry into urgency.

The FTC says the red flags are clear. Real law enforcement will never text or email you an arrest warrant. Officers do not call to threaten arrest, even if caller ID appears legitimate, because caller ID can be faked. Courts and government agencies do not demand payment over the phone. Demands for payment by payment app, cryptocurrency, gift cards or wire transfer, such as Western Union or MoneyGram, point to a scam.

The FTC reported an earlier version in August 2025, in which callers posing as local police said a person had missed jury duty and sent them to a fake website to enter a Social Security number and pay. The June 2026 alert adds the follow-up of a fake warrant by text or email.

How to avoid it

1. Hang up, and ignore the calls, texts and emails. Do not pay.
2. Do not open or reply to the warrant. There is no need to respond to a document that arrived by text.
3. Check with the court. For a jury summons, look up the court's real website or call the court on a number you know is correct. The FTC gave this advice in its 2025 alert.
4. Do not use numbers or links from the messages.
5. Report the call at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
6. If you already paid, follow the FTC's "What To Do if You Were Scammed" guidance. Our guide to reporting a scam in the US summarises the steps for each payment type.

The September 2026 FBI alert on impersonation of officials also lists missed jury duty and warrants among the stories used, which is covered in our piece on that alert.

Things to watch

• A caller who says you missed jury duty.
• A threat of arrest, or a warrant sent by text or email.
• A request to pay by payment app, crypto, gift card or wire.
• A caller who already knows your name or address.
• A caller ID that shows a court or police department.
• Pressure to pay right now.

Worry is a natural reaction to a threat, and it fades quickly once you hang up. A real summons arrives in a form you can check.