FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hershman Warns Hoosiers of Jury Fraud
(STATEHOUSE) – State Senator Brandt Hershman today warned Hoosiers about an identity theft scam in which a person calls claiming an arrest warrant has been issued for failure to appear for jury duty. The FBI and the federal courts have issued nationwide warnings on their web site.
“The best protection against identity theft is awareness,” Hershman said. “Hoosiers receiving these calls should immediately hang up and report them to the proper authorities.”
In this instance of fraud, the caller will threaten arrest for failure to appear. When the recipient of the call claims they never received a summons, the caller asks for private information – such as a Social Security number, date of birth, or even credit card number – so they can cancel the arrest warrant.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has stated that court officers will never seek information over the phone. The courts generally correspond with prospective jurors through the mail. Still, any request for private information such as Social Security numbers or bank account information from any source should be verified before being responded to.
“The state has taken steps to prevent this growing crime of identity theft,” Hershman said, “but scam artists are coming up with new plots constantly.”
This year, Senator Hershman sponsored House Enrolled Act 1101, which outlines specific procedures companies must follow in case of security breaches. This includes notifying the customers whose personal information may have been compromised. The bill also sets forth specific procedures for handling documents containing confidential personal information, including shredding or destroying documents before disposing of them. HEA 1101 also makes identity theft tools such as card skimming devices a Class D felony.
Consumers who receive this fraudulent phone call or others like it are urged to report it to the Indiana Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Division online at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral or by calling 1-800-382-5516.
Hershman represents Senate District 7, which includes Carroll, Clinton, Howard, Jasper, Tippecanoe, and White Counties .
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