Updated: August 15, 2025
Beware of Jury Duty Scams
Over 330,000 jury questionnaires will soon arrive in mailboxes for potential jury service in 2026. Scammers are using this legitimate process to trick people into paying fake fines.
How a Scam Message May Start
Fraudsters pose as court officials or law enforcement, claiming you missed jury duty and have an arrest warrant. They pressure you to pay immediately to avoid arrest. These calls can seem convincing — scammers may:
- Use the names of real officials and actual court addresses
- Spoof caller ID to look like a government number
- Reference personal details like your name, address, or date of birth
What’s Important to Know
- Courts will never call, email, or text to demand payment or personal info for jury matters.
- All official jury communication is sent by U.S. mail, unless you contact the Judiciary first.
- Courts and police will never:
- Ask for your SSN, bank, or card info over the phone/email
- Demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or apps
- Instruct you to meet in person to pay
How to Avoid Jury Duty Scams
- Hang up immediately if you get a suspicious jury-related call
- Delete unexpected emails or texts about jury duty — don’t click links or open attachments
- Don’t trust caller ID — scammers can fake numbers
- Contact the Judiciary directly using numbers from their official website
- If you feel threatened, call 911. If you’ve given money or personal info to a scammer, report it to your local police and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
For more information about jury duty scams, visit the “scam alerts” page on the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary website.
