Fake Deputy Threatens Arrest Over Missed Jury Duty in Harris County Scam

Sophisticated Scammers Target Houston Residents

A Houston couple is warning others after a scammer impersonating a Harris County deputy threatened the wife with arrest for a fake missed jury summons. Robert Weber says his wife, Carolyn, received a call Friday morning around 9AM from someone claiming to be "Deputy Miller" with the Harris County Precinct 4 Constables' Office. The caller spoke in an authoritative tone, according to Weber, and told her she had missed a scheduled grand jury appearance on April 1.

The caller used a real deputy's name but a fake badge number and pressured the victim to act immediately. While there is a real deputy with the name used by the caller, the badge number provided was not legitimate. Officials warn that scammers often use publicly available information to make their claims sound credible and convincing.

As one victim described their experience: "His story was bulletproof. Everything I brought up, he had an answer for," adding that the scammer kept "turning it back on me, (saying) 'I'm just trying to do you a favor. Do you want me to do you a favor or not?'"

The Scam's Deceptive Tactics

This scam is common and usually involves a person getting a phone call from somebody who identifies themselves as law enforcement. The victim is told there is a warrant for their arrest because they failed to report to jury service and they must pay a certain amount of money to avoid going to jail. In some cases, scammers have demanded as much as $6,000 in cash to be delivered to specific locations like kiosks near the Galleria area.

Christopher Mook, a Harris County Sheriff's Office detective who works financial crime cases, said these scams are designed to scare people into acting fast. "They want you to just fall for it and give them your money," Mook said. To date there have been at least 60 victims, many of them from the medical community, which scammers have begun specifically targeting. "They're calling doctors and saying their medical license is going to be revoked because they have an outstanding warrant for jury duty."

In a disturbing new twist, some scammers claiming to be lieutenants with sheriff's offices aren't asking for money. However, the caller isn't asking for money. Instead, neighbors believe the scammer may have been trying to lure people out of their homes to rob them. "They wanted you out of the house. They wanted to rob your house."

How Officials Really Handle Jury Duty

"At no point would anybody from Precinct 4 actually contact you and tell you that you have a warrant for your arrest. You would find out at the point in time that you are stopped in traffic, or we show up at your house," said Lt. "The sheriff's office will never contact you by phone for missing jury service," said Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. "Never give your personal information to unknown callers."

Harris County issues a "Failure to Appear" notice to people who don't show up for jury duty on their summoned date. The notice will allow you to appear at a later date to avoid a fine. These notices are always sent by mail. "We don't fine people for missing jury service in Harris County," said District Clerk Marilyn Burgess. "If you receive a phone call from someone saying they are calling from the District Clerk's Office or law enforcement and state you will be arrested unless you immediately pay a fine for not appearing for jury service, that is an illegitimate call and I advise reporting it to the sheriff's office."

Protecting Yourself From These Schemes

Instead of following the caller's instructions, the couple contacted Harris County Precinct 4 Constables Office. Officials there confirmed the call was a scam. In the event that someone receives a call claiming to be from Precinct 1 – or any law enforcement agency – saying a warrant is out for their arrest, officials say to look up the number of the agency online and call them directly. They warned against calling the number popping up on the phone back directly, saying it will send people directly to the scammer.

Authorities note that "a lot of the scammers are using sophisticated technology to mask or hide who they are and where they are calling from. Disconnect immediately and they will move on." As these scams become more sophisticated and target specific professions, residents must remain vigilant and remember that legitimate law enforcement will never demand immediate payment over the phone to resolve warrants.