File Photo – McHenry County Courthouse | Photo: Google Street View

Officials have issued a warning after numerous residents in McHenry County were contacted by scammers telling them they missed jury duty while seeking personal information.

The 22nd Judicial Circuit said in a statement earlier this week that a number of McHenry County residents have notified the McHenry County Jury Commission that they received a call from an unknown person indicating they had missed jury service.

The caller identification showed that the call originated from the Jury Commission.

The circuit court said the tactic, known as “spoofing,” exploits a known vulnerability in the telephone network to apply a false outgoing telephone number to the caller identification.

The McHenry County Jury Commission does not contact individuals who miss jury service by telephone, the circuit court said.

Anyone who receives a telephone call from someone identifying themselves as a representative of the McHenry County Jury Commission suggesting they have missed jury service is encouraged to disconnect the call immediately and contact the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office.

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The sheriff’s office said residents have also reported receiving calls from the primary sheriff’s office phone number of 815-338-2144.

The scammers use the same pretense that the resident has missed jury duty and a warrant is out for their arrest.

The scammers then continue to press for personal information.

The sheriff’s office said police departments will not contact anyone by phone to tell them they have a warrant out for their arrest or ask for payment.

“If you receive a call like this, simply hang up the phone. Please talk to your elderly friends and family about these scams, as they are the most affected demographic,” the sheriff’s office said.