A Johnston County woman avoided being a victim of a scam last week when she hung up the phone on the caller.
The elderly Selma woman said she received a call Sept. 12th from a man indicating he was with the “local sheriff’s office.” She said she immediately thought it was the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office.
The caller told the woman she had recently failed to appear in court and was found guilty of the charges and could be arrested. The woman realized she was the victim of a scam and hung up the phone. When the man called a second time she also abruptly ended the call.
Authorities said the caller usually states they are with a law enforcement agency and to avoid being arrested for a warrant or for missing a jury duty summons they have to place money on an iTunes prepaid card or other form of reload cards obtained at retailers.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office said there is no circumstance in which any member of their agency will ever request or demand money for the retraction of a jury duty summons or warrant.
Persons receiving such a telephone call should not provide the requested information, and should notify their nearest law enforcement agency.
