Huron Hometown News

The Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio Attorney General’s office are warning Ohioans of a jury duty scam that unfortunately is used to steal citizens’ identities by way of tricking them into turning over personal information. The scam involves the perpetrator calling a victim, claiming that he or she works for the court system. The caller tells the victim that a warrant has been issued for his or her arrest for failing to report for jury duty. In an effort to clear up the issue, the victim is told that he or she must provide his or her Social Security number, date of birth and sometimes even a credit card number. The unsuspecting victim who provides that information will have his or her identity stolen. The Ohio Attorney General’s office states that “the best rule of thumb is to never give out personal information over the phone regardless of who is calling. Unless you initiate the call, you really don’t have verification of who is on the other end.” In addition, the Ohio Supreme Court has stated that officers of the court do not request personal information over the phone. Please be advised that the Huron Municipal Court would not call and request personal information for those serving on jury duty. Potential jurors are sent a letter through the U.S. mail notifying them of their potential service as a juror. If you have any further questions in regards to serving on a jury for a particular court, feel free to contact that court to discuss the matter. Articles appearing in this column are intended to provide broad, general information about the law. Before applying this information to a specific legal problem, readers are urged to seek advice from an attorney.