NJ Residents Warned About a New Phone Scam

Another day, another scam.

Imagine answering your phone and hearing an authoritative voice informing you that you missed your grand jury appointment and a warrant has been issued for your arrest.

To make matters worse, the person on the other end of the phone seems to have personal information about you and wants to verify information like your driver's license.  How could this be?  How can I fix this?

 Sergeant Armstrong is a Scam

According to Atlantic County Sheriff Joseph A. O’Donoghue, you have nothing to be worried about.  It's a scam.

The sheriff points out that if a warrant had truly been issued for your arrest, officers would seek you out in person, and not over the phone.  They would not call to ask you to turn yourself in, nor would they call you for your credit card numbers or other personal information.

Additionally, authorities would never direct you to make an electronic payment at a Family Dollar Store, Walgreens, or any other store.

Elderly at Risk

This may sound obvious, but this is an easy trap for elderly people to fall for, and it could be a costly mistake.  This is just the latest variation of this scam.

It's worth a call to Mom and Pop, even if they live outside the area, and remind them to never give personal information over the phone or online.

If you have questions about jury duty or the grand jury, O'Donoghue suggests you call the jury management staff at 609-402-0100 extension 47930.

Detectives are currently investigating these incidents.  If you think you've been contacted by these scammers, or if you have any questions, you can contact the Sheriff's office at 609-909-7200.

Atlantic County Sheriff's Office