Scam tries to shake targets down for missed jury duty

The 13th Judicial Circuit is warning people in Boone and Callaway counties about a jury duty scam.

Officials say people are receiving phone calls asking for money for allegedly failing to appear for jury duty. Most recently individuals have been contacted at work with the person on the phone saying a specific judge is upset and has signed a warrant for their arrest, court administrator Mary Epping wrote in a news release.

The phone number that appears in caller ID may look like it is a call from the sheriff but, that can be done through ” caller ID spoofing, ” according to the release.

Officials say these scams come up periodically and usually involve making a person go to a store and purchase some type of gift card and then read the numbers off the back over the phone.

Officials say law enforcement and the court will never call and ask someone to pay money for missing jury service.

Stay with ABC 17 for more information on this developing story.