A scam caller convinced a Durham woman she was dealing with a real court problem, not a fraud.
The scammers leveraged information about the victim, which is increasingly working on people who believe the mystery callers are the real deal.
Here's what to know
WRAL reported that the woman ended up sending almost $2,000 after being told she had three warrants related to missed jury duty.
The woman, who did not want to be identified, said someone claiming to work for the Durham County Sheriff's Office told her she needed to post $990 in bail for each of three missed-jury-duty charges. The station also said the caller knew her name, where she lived, and the make and model of her car.
"It is embarrassing," the victim, who said she is in her early 30s, told WRAL. "I've talked to some people and they're like, 'Oh, you didn't know like this and that,' but it's really convincing. And when they've got bits and pieces about you that kind of legitimize that process."
The incident is part of a broader pattern playing out across central North Carolina, the station said. The Raleigh Police Department has recorded 64 jury duty scam reports and 46 law enforcement impersonation scam reports.
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WRAL also reported 24 court-related scams in Wake Forest, while the Wake County Sheriff's Office said countywide fraud complaints are nearing 400, with dozens involving people posing as law enforcement.
Torian Boone, a Durham County Sheriff's Office fraud investigator, said the scam uses a familiar playbook.
"They [scammers] want to create urgency and chaos," Boone explained to the station. "They will tell you to stay on the phone, 'Go to the bank right now,' and you're fearful of arrest or punishment."
More background
One detail that helped sell the scam was a fake "mobile escort order" presented as a federal court document telling the woman to remain on the line, per WRAL.
"[The] average person doesn't know the difference between federal court and state court," Boone said. "They prey upon people's lack of knowledge."
Immediate demands to pay are one red flag he pointed to. The station noted that jury summonses and failure-to-appear notices are delivered by mail, not by phone, and that the penalty for missing a jury summons is $50, not hundreds of dollars. Boone also said claims that someone can instantly pay a fine or bond to avoid arrest are not realistic.
A legitimate-looking number on caller ID is not proof a call is real because scammers can spoof numbers to make calls appear to come from a legitimate business or government agency.
The Orange County Sheriff's Office told WRAL that scam-related questions account for nearly half of its calls, most often involving jury duty fraud and law enforcement impersonation.
What can be done?
For people who have already sent money, the station said the Federal Trade Commission advises asking the company used to transfer the funds whether anything can be recovered.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office added that institutions usually are not required to reimburse victims who approved payments because of a scam.
WRAL reported that the Durham woman said she also filed complaints through the FBI's Internet Crimes portal and the FTC.
Where can I learn more?
Scams like this often follow the same playbook, even when the details change.
• A woman answered a "verified" bank number and then lost her life savings to a fake FBI courier.
• In Pennsylvania, a fake Comcast caller claimed they had all my information and cost a man $1,200 and a new iPhone.
• In Georgia, an inmate allegedly ran a Bitcoin scheme that cost an elderly woman $13,000.
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