Beware of jury-duty scam, county court clerk warns

A local court official said “it is probably just a matter of time” before a jury-duty scam reported happening in Missoula County occurs in Lincoln County.

District Court Clerk Tricia Brooks wants to warn residents of the scam, in which, reports Missoula County Communications Coordinator Katie Klietz, “a caller posing as a deputy with the Sheriff’s Office will call a citizen and state that they have failed to appear for jury duty and will be picked up by law enforcement if a fine is not paid.”

“The caller will go on to provide a badge number and seek credit card information,” Klietz continues in an email statement forwarded by Brooks. “This is not the Sheriff’s Office, nor is this derived from the Clerk of Court.”

According to Klietz, “this type of scam has occurred in the past.” She didn’t indicate whether it had occurred in Missoula County or elsewhere.

Brooks said she has not heard about any such scam happening in Lincoln County, but wanted “to get word out to the public before it hits Lincoln County if it does.”

In her email statement, Klietz wrote that “It is important to note that potential juror information is not public” and that “juror questionnaires may only be provided to the parties, attorneys for parties, judges and court employees.”

For more information call the Lincoln County Clerk of Court office at 406-283-2342.