Scam threatening arrest if person fails to pay fine for missing jury duty infiltrates Edmonds area

The Edmonds Police Department (EPD) confirmed a new scam is floating around the Edmonds area. The scam is threatening to arrest the people contacted if they fail to pay a fine for missing jury duty.

EPD posted on Facebook Tuesday warning residents not to fall for this latest scam.

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“Hey Edmonds neighbors! The Edmonds Police Department wants to give you a heads-up about a scam that’s been making the rounds lately,” EPD stated on social media. “Here’s the deal: You get a call saying you missed jury duty — and now you have to pay a fine immediately or face arrest. Yikes, right? But don’t panic — it’s 100% a scam.”

EPD warned that if someone gets a call like this, they are advised to hang up, to not share any personal info and to report the call to Edmonds Police.

“Real jury duty notifications don’t work like this,” EPD continued in its statement. “The police or courts will NEVER demand payment over the phone. These scammers are good at sounding convincing, so stay sharp!”

The Snohomish County Clerk’s Office and Superior Court have both been made aware of the scam, according to KIRO 7.

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“Please be assured staff of Snohomish County Superior Court or the Clerk’s office will NEVER ask past or prospective jurors for financial data such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers or Social Security numbers and will NEVER demand the payment of a fine,” the Snohomish County Clerk’s Office and Superior Court stated. “If you receive such a telephone call, you should contact law enforcement immediately.”

Contributing: KIRO 7

Frank Sumrall is a content editor at MyNorthwest and producer of the Seattle Seahawks podcast, The Reset with Gee Scott. You can read his stories here and you can email him here.