'You Missed Jury Duty': How the Arrest-Warrant Scam Works and What Courts Really Do

By Web Asset House Studio · October 29, 2026

Note: Some future links on this site may be affiliate links. We never claim hands-on testing; guides are researched from the public sources listed in each article.

How we wrote this: A summary of the Federal Trade Commission's June 11, 2026 consumer alert on jury duty scams, its government impersonation page and the federal Judiciary's "Juror Scams" page (linked below), checked October 29, 2026. State and local courts set their own procedures; check with your court directly.

The call is designed to make your stomach drop: you missed jury duty, there's a warrant for your arrest, and the only way to clear it is to pay a fine right now. The FTC says it's a scam built to steal your money, and the federal courts say the same about calls and emails that threaten prosecution over jury service.

How the scam works

From the FTC's June 11, 2026 alert:

An "urgent" call from someone claiming to be a U.S. Marshal or an officer from your local police department. Caller ID may even show that department's number.
They know things about you, like your full name or address, to catch you off guard.
The accusation: you missed jury duty (you didn't), and you'll be arrested (you won't) unless you pay a fine.
The payment demand: a payment app or cryptocurrency.
The new twist: a text or email with a document that looks like an official arrest warrant, complete with the amount you "owe."

A variation from the federal Judiciary's Juror Scams page: instead of money, the caller or email pressures you to provide confidential data, which can lead to identity theft and fraud, again with threats of fines and jail.

Why it can't be real

The FTC's checks:

Real law enforcement will never text or email you an arrest warrant.
Real officers won't call to say they're going to arrest you, and won't threaten arrest if you hang up.
Courts never demand payment over the phone. No government agency does.
Only scammers say you can pay only with a payment app, cryptocurrency, gift cards or a wire transfer service.

And from the federal courts:

Federal courts don't require anyone to provide sensitive information in a phone call or email.
Most contact between a federal court and a prospective juror is through the U.S. mail. Any real phone or email contact won't include requests for sensitive information.
It's a crime to falsely pose as a federal court official.

How to check, safely

Hang up. Don't pay, and don't confirm personal details.
Don't use the number they gave you or the one on caller ID. Caller ID can be faked (see caller ID spoofing).
Look up the real number yourself. The FTC says that if you're worried, find the real number for the office the caller named and contact it directly. For federal jury service, the Judiciary says to notify the Clerk of Court's office of the U.S. District Court in your area; the uscourts.gov Federal Court Finder lists contact information. For a state or local court, look up that court's number yourself rather than using one from the call or message.

Where to report

The FTC, at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The federal courts also suggest reporting suspicious communications to the FTC.
The local U.S. District Court clerk, for calls or emails claiming to be from a federal court.
Already paid? The FTC's "What To Do if You Were Scammed" page has steps by payment method. For gift cards, see gift card scams.
Gave personal information? IdentityTheft.gov has a recovery plan.

The same playbook, other badges

Jury duty calls are one version of a wider pattern: someone claiming official authority, a problem you didn't know about, pressure to act now and an unusual way to pay. For fake IRS, Social Security, Medicare and FTC calls, see government impersonation scams.