The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office warned residents about a surge in calls from scammers posing as officials in jury-duty matters. The calls may use legal threats to frighten people into paying money.

The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office warned residents about a reported surge in calls from people impersonating officials in connection with jury-duty matters. The warning describes a phone scam in which callers use the authority of the legal system and the threat of consequences to pressure recipients. The report says the goal is to frighten people into handing over money. Residents should treat an unexpected demand for payment tied to jury duty as suspicious and independently contact the relevant court or law-enforcement agency using a number obtained from an official source. A caller’s claims, displayed caller ID, or urgency should not be taken as proof of legitimacy. The supplied report does not identify specific callers, payment methods, or individual victims, so those details cannot be confirmed here. The sheriff’s warning concerns impersonation and coercion: scammers exploit people’s fear of legal trouble to push them toward a hurried decision. Source: Richmond County Daily Journal, reporting on the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office warning.