The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is warning Rockaway residents and others across Morris County, NJ about a phone scam that uses fake jury duty arrest warrants to pressure people into paying money.
In the scam, callers claim the victim has an active warrant for failing to appear for jury duty. The Sheriff’s Office says the scammers use phone number spoofing technology to make the caller ID show the office’s real number, (973) 285-6610, even though the office is not placing the calls.
Scammers posing as law enforcement tell victims a warrant has been issued for their arrest, then pressure them to stay on the phone and avoid contacting family members, attorneys or police. Some callers send fake arrest warrants and paperwork with official-looking seals and signatures to make the threat seem real.
Sheriff James M. Gannon’s office reminded the public that law enforcement will never demand payment to resolve a warrant and will never ask anyone to send money through Bitcoin kiosks, gift cards or wire transfers. Caller ID can be faked, and real court matters are handled through established legal procedures, not phone demands for immediate payment.
Residents who get one of these calls should hang up right away and avoid sharing personal or banking information. Anyone unsure whether a call is real should contact the Sheriff’s Office directly using a trusted number from an official source, not the number shown on caller ID.
The Sheriff’s Office urged residents to share the warning with neighbors and family, especially older adults, who are often targeted. Anyone who believes they were targeted or lost money is encouraged to report it to the Morris County Sheriff’s Office.
