MIDDLE TENNESSEE — Congratulations, Middle Tennessee — you’ve officially been “selected” for yet another round of everyone’s least favorite community game: The Fake Jury Duty Phone Call! Yes, the tried-and-not-true “You Missed Jury Duty” scam is still making its rounds like an uninvited relative who just won’t take the hint.
Local law enforcement departments are once again reminding citizens that these calls are 100% fake — as in, not real police, not real court staff, and definitely not real arrest warrants. Sadly, the masterminds behind the calls remain as anonymous as ever, lurking behind blocked numbers and fake badges.
According to authorities, these phonies are impersonating actual law enforcement officers to sound convincing. The latest “stolen identities” belong to Major David Bennett and Detective Sgt. Travis Donnell of the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office — both respected, real-life officers who are definitely not spending their days calling you about missed court dates.
So, if your phone rings and someone claims to be Major Bennett or Detective Donnell threatening to toss you in jail for skipping jury duty, here’s a tip: Hang up. Then, call the real department they’re pretending to represent and let them know about the impersonators.
The scammers’ greatest hits list hasn’t changed much. They claim you’ve:
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Missed jury duty
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Failed to pay a citation
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Skipped a court date
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Have a family member in jail
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Or (the fan favorite) have an active warrant for your arrest
Their goal? To scare you into handing over your hard-earned cash, bank account info, or — believe it or not — pre-paid gift cards. Because yes, apparently someone out there still thinks you can pay off a “warrant” with a Vanilla Visa card.
Let’s be clear: Real law enforcement officers will never call you demanding payment, threatening arrest, or asking for your credit card over the phone. If you get one of these calls, the only thing you should be dialing is the end call button. Then, report it to your local police department.
Stay smart, Tennessee — and remember: if someone claims you can pay a fine with an iTunes card, you’re not talking to a cop… you’re talking to a con.
