ALERT: Federal Court Related Scams

CONCORD – United States Attorney Jane E. Young and United States Marshal William Hart are alerting the public of a rise in complaints regarding two scams. The first scam is a jury summons scam aimed at obtaining New Hampshire residents’ personal identifying information and a payment of a fine. The second scam is a cash bond scam aimed at receiving virtual currency deposits from victims.

The reported phone fraudster(s) in the jury summons scam represent themselves to be a United States Marshal or a state or local law enforcement officer, claiming to be contacting New Hampshire residents that did not comply with a jury summons. They request a return call in an effort to obtain personal identifying information and/or threaten to arrest an individual if a fine is not paid.

In the cash bond scam, fraudster(s) are calling individuals informing them of fake pending criminal charges and directing them to pay bail money using public virtual currency machines or kiosks.

“Fraudsters are always finding new ways to exploit our fears and obligations,” said U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young. “While jury duty is one of our most fundamental civic duties, the Court does not use law enforcement officers to arrest potential jurors. Additionally, the government will never ask you to pay fines or taxes by phone or via a virtual currency machine. Please protect yourselves – be cautious when giving out your personal identifying information.”

“The United States Marshals Service will never request your personal information by phone. Be on guard with your personal information if you don’t know who is calling. Don’t give it to anyone,” said United States Marshal William Hart. “Please know it is okay to ask for a phone number and complete independent research to confirm the phone number, by contacting the authorities.”

If someone contacts you soliciting a return call or a payment of a fine in response to your non-compliance of a jury summons or if someone calls you to inform you of pending criminal charges that can be resolved by a bail payment, please notify the Clerk’s Office at the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire by calling 603-225-1423 or email daniel_lynch@nhd.uscourts.gov.

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