The Wood County Court of Common Pleas is warning residents about a recent surge in fraudulent phone calls targeting county citizens. Scammers are attempting to convince individuals they have missed jury duty and must make immediate payments to avoid legal penalties.
“These callers claim to be court officials, using the names of our elected judges and fabricated case numbers in an effort to defraud citizens,” said court Administrator Brandy Hartman. “If you receive a suspicious call asking for payment, hang up and report it to the proper authorities.”
The court reminds the public that it will never request payment over the phone for missed jury duty. Additionally, individuals summoned for jury duty in Wood County will not be provided with case numbers or directed to any location outside of the courthouse.
If you believe you’ve been contacted by one of these fraudulent callers, report the incident to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at 419-354-9001.
“Unfortunately, these scams are not new,” Hartman added. “We hope by sharing this information we can encourage our community to remain aware and cautious.”
The court welcomes anyone receiving a jury summons or other jury communications to verify its legitimacy by contacting the Wood County Jury Office at 419-354-9620.
