The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office has alerted the Maryland Judiciary about a telephone scam targeting residents. The scam involves calls informing individuals that a bench warrant has been issued for their arrest due to failure to appear for jury duty. The caller then instructs the victim to withdraw cash and make a payment to clear the warrant.
Authorities emphasize that this call is fraudulent. Local law enforcement and the Jury Commissioner’s Office do not request payments in lieu of warrants or summonses.
Residents who receive such calls are advised to hang up immediately. If concerned about a possible warrant, they should contact the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office at 410-386-5900.
For more information, jurors in Carroll County can visit the Jury Commissioner’s Office webpage on the Carroll County Circuit Court website.
Victims of this or similar scams can also reach out to the Office of the Attorney General, Consumer Protection Division, at 410-528-8662 or toll-free at 888-743-0023.
Officials remind citizens that courts do not notify individuals about bench warrants via phone nor ask for Social Security numbers. Courts also do not solicit payments or personal information through calls or emails, nor request credit card or PayPal payments by these means. Residents should refrain from providing personal, credit card, or bank details in response to such communications claiming court association. For concerns regarding court cases or arrest warrants, individuals should contact their local district court or circuit court using contact information available on the Maryland Judiciary website's courts directory.