Fayette County court officials warn residents about jury-duty scam impersonating law enforcement

Fayette County court officials are warning residents about jury-duty scams in which callers pose as court employees and law enforcement officers to pressure people into paying money they believe is required to avoid jury service. The warning comes as officials say some victims have lost thousands of dollars after following instructions from scammers who used official-sounding language and authority cues during the calls.

According to LEX18, the scams target Fayette County residents through communications that attempt to make the request for payment appear legitimate. Officials say the fraud schemes can be convincing, including impersonation that may lead recipients to believe they are dealing with real court or police personnel.

Court officials and partners urged residents not to treat unsolicited messages about jury duty as automatically authentic, especially when the messages request payment or personal financial information. They also advised that people should take steps to verify any claim of enforcement or obligation through official, publicly available channels before sending money or data.

The warning emphasizes that scammers may refer to themselves as law enforcement officers or court representatives and may threaten consequences to create urgency. Officials’ guidance is intended to protect residents from being pressured into transactions that cannot be verified and that are not part of a legitimate jury process.

Officials did not describe specific case details in the LEX18 report, but said the scheme has already caused financial harm to some victims. The warning directs residents to be cautious of callers who demand immediate payment and to remember that legitimate court notices would not require off-platform payment instructions delivered by an unknown individual.

In the coming days, residents in Fayette County who receive similar outreach are likely to face follow-up scam attempts, according to the nature of these schemes. Court officials’ notice is intended to reduce that risk by encouraging verification practices and discouraging any payment based solely on an unsolicited phone call or message claiming to be connected to jury duty.

Officials also indicated that the scams are part of a broader pattern of impersonation fraud, where criminals attempt to exploit people’s sense of obligation and fear of consequences. The best immediate step, officials said, is to confirm the matter with the court through proper contacts rather than acting on instructions from an unverified caller claiming to represent the justice system.