Authorities Warn You of Scammers Posing as Deputies to Make You Pay Fines

LINCOLN–(KFOR Nov. 20)–An old scam is back, where someone is posing as a deputy or a higher-ranking officer with the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office by calling you to say you are in contempt of court for not showing up to jury duty….and that you must pay a fine.

You should not fall for that call, according to Chief Deputy Sheriff Ben Houchin.  And never give out your credit or debit card number.

“Once you do that and you give your card number to them, it’s gone.  There’s nothing we can do,” Houchin said during Monday’s media briefing.

If you encounter this type of call, contact LSO at 402-441-6500. Police took a call from over the weekend where a 38-year-old woman in south Lincoln said she checked a voicemail and was told she had to pay a fine of $1,842 for missing jury duty. The woman claimed the person on the phone was from LSO.

Houchin says no one from the Sheriff’s Office will ever contact you to pay any fines, especially to for failing to appear for jury duty.

“We will never ask you to go get any type of card or go to a store,” Houchin said.  “If you think it’s suspicious, call us.”

If you have a warrant, Houchin said they will come find you on their own and not make a call.