Envato Elements BOISE — Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador is urging residents to be on high alert for a new wave of text, phone, and email scams falsely claiming that the recipient has missed jury duty and must immediately pay a fine to avoid arrest. The scheme, which mirrors similar scams seen nationwide, uses fear and urgency to pressure victims into making quick payments, often through fraudulent links or QR codes. “Idahoans – particularly senior citizens – are frequent victims of these criminal scams,” Labrador said in a news release. “Seniors are targeted for millions each year and the best defense is consumer awareness and prevention education. Always be smarter than the scam and don’t let fear drive any of your decisions.” Scammers frequently spoof caller IDs and design emails and texts that appear legitimate, using official logos, court information, and even the names of local sheriffs, judges, and court staff. Many of these operations are based overseas and generate billions of dollars by deceiving unsuspecting consumers, officials said. State authorities emphasized that Idaho courts do not send text messages about jury duty, demand payment through links, or threaten arrest over the phone. Anyone receiving such a message is advised not to respond and to hang up immediately. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division offered several tips to avoid falling victim: Never pay anything through an unknown text link. Treat requests for payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency as major red flags. Be wary of messages designed to pressure you with fear or urgency. Idahoans who believe they have been targeted or victimized by a scam can file a complaint or access resources at ReportScamsIdaho.com.The post AG issues warning about jury duty scams sweeping across Idaho appeared first on East Idaho News.
Source: eastidahonews.com