Phone Scams

Since 2005, courts around the country have reported phone call scams in which the caller claims to be from a state or federal courthouse. The caller typically states that the recipient of the call has missed jury duty and will be penalized or fined unless they can "verify" their personal information, including address, Social Security number, and birthdate. Oregon residents have received, and continue to receive, such calls. These people had not been summoned to serve on a jury. These calls are attempts to gather personal information for fraudulent purposes. The Court will not call you regarding jury duty. If you have received one of these calls, please report it (see "Protecting Yourself," below).

Email "Subpoenas"

In May 2008, people reported receiving email "subpoenas" supposedly sent from the US District Court. Such emails may be "phishing" for personal information, requesting that the recipient visit a website link to fill out a form "for the Court's use," or they may contain malware attachments. The Court will not email you regarding jury duty. It is not normal for parties to be served subpoenas via email. If you receive a suspicious email, first verify that the email came from an email address ending in "uscourts.gov." Many of the bogus emails use "uscourts.com" email addresses. This domain is not associated with the Judiciary.

Protecting Yourself

If you receive a phone call from someone purporting to be a court employee, try to get the name and telephone number of the caller. Whether or not you succeed, report any suspicious calls to the Jury Coordinator of the District Court, or to the county court for the county in which you live. If you receive a phishing email, report it to local law enforcement.

If you have received one of these calls or emails and have given out personal information, monitor your account statements and credit reports carefully. If any unauthorized charges are made, report the theft to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission at (877) 438-4338 or on the web. Contact a credit bureau to request that it place a fraud alert on your credit history.

Remember that, generally speaking, the Court initiates contact by mailing a letter. Subpoenas and other court documents are normally served to parties and witnesses via registered mail or personal service. If your first notice from the Court is via email or telephone, proceed with caution. Do not reveal personal information.

Last Updated on Tuesday, December 22, 2009