Salt Lake City -- A Utah man was targeted by a scammer on Tuesday when he received a voicemail from what he thought was a Unified Police Officer. The message says that he owes the police department $641 for missing jury duty.
David Clayton says that he couldn't afford to pay the amount stated in the message. As a result he packed up and overnight bag with his medication and had his wife drive him to the Unified Police Department to turn himself in.
Upon arrival the 52-year-old was told there was no warrant out for his arrest, neither had he missed a jury duty call.
Like David, five other victims have received the same call.
Unified Police Detective, Ken Hansen says, "A man with a southern accent has been calling older and more vulnerable people.
"Then he tells them something along the lines of ‘You have missed jury duty. We have served you three times,’ and then tells them if they don’t pay x-amount of dollars that day, they will be arrested and taken to jail.
"Then he asks them to put the money on a debit card and just meet him at the Unified Police parking lot where he will take the money and then they can go free.”
Other victims have reported that the scammer will use the actual names of real police officers when telling a potential victim they have a warrant out for their arrest.
Detective Hansen also said that, Law enforcement here in Utah will never take money for warrants.
If you know of a person who has received a call from one of these scammers or you have just received one of these calls please contact the Unified Police Department at 801 743-7000.
