Scammers Forging Arrest Warrants for Jury Duty Failure

Scammers are forging arrest warrants for missed jury duty, demanding payment in bitcoin and gift cards. They use realistic court-style documents and urgent threats to exploit fear of arrest.

Court Warns of Forged Arrest Warrants Tied to Bitcoin Demands Over Missed Jury Duty

On March 21, the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Virginia announced a fraudulent scheme involving counterfeit arrest warrants circulating in the region. This scam targets individuals under the guise of missed jury duty, utilizing forged documents that resemble official court forms and falsely claim to originate from the Eastern District of Virginia.

The court’s statement detailed how the perpetrators instruct targets to send money through methods that are hard to trace or reverse. Officials outlined that:

> The scammers demand payment by bitcoin, gift cards, or bank account information to resolve the issue.

The court clarified that the United States district courts do not issue arrest warrants for failing to appear for jury duty unless individuals have actually been summoned and fail to appear. This scam preys on individuals’ fear of legal consequences by presenting forged documents and demanding immediate payments under threats of arrest.

Court officials urged anyone receiving suspicious documents—especially those referencing bitcoin, gift cards, or phone-based payments—to contact the Western District of Virginia to verify authenticity. They warned:

> If you receive an arrest warrant or any other document purportedly from the United States district courts that demands money, particularly bitcoin and gift cards with payment requests via phone, please contact the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia to confirm its legitimacy.

As similar scams rise nationwide, authorities continue to caution the public against sharing financial information in response to unsolicited legal threats.