Letter to the Editor| Jury duty scams on the rise

As the Superior Court Presiding Judge and the County Clerk for Snohomish County, we want to alert local residents about jury duty scams that are becoming more prevalent in Washington state and across the country. We greatly value citizens' willingness to serve on jury duty and are concerned that you could become victims of scam artists using the name of the court to steal your money.

Please be aware that citizens in several Washington counties and across the country have lost large sums of money in this scam. Here is how it usually happens: An individual calls or emails claiming you have failed to appear for jury duty. They say that a warrant has [been] issued for your arrest and/or that the sheriff is en route to arrest you. They demand payment, a credit card number or a social security number. This is a scam. Do not fall for it. If you pay the money, it is gone.-á

No one from the court system will ever ask for payment over the phone or by email. Court officials will not ask you to purchase a pre-paid card, or provide cash or a check to pay for failure to appear for jury duty. Never give out personal information via phone or e-mail. Please report any suspicious activity of this kind to the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office or your local law enforcement agency.-á

If you have any questions about jury duty, please call the Snohomish County Clerk's office at 425-388-3386.-á

Michael T. Downs-á

Superior Court Presiding Judge

Sonya Kraski-á

County Clerk