A potential scammer posing as a Murfreesboro Warrants Division lieutenant tried to persuade a Rutherford County woman to send money to pay a fine but she didn't bite, said Rutherford County Sheriff's deputies.

Instead, she called the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office. After Deputy James Holloway responded to her home Sunday, the man called her back. When Deputy Holloway answered the telephone and identified himself as a deputy, the man hung up.

The woman told Holloway she received a message on her answering machine from man who identified himself as Lt. Brian Owens from Murfreesboro Warrants Division. She called the number back and he advised she missed jury duty. He claimed Murfreesboro Police mailed her two notices for jury duty in November.

He threatened to send a deputy to her home. When the woman asked why he called on Sunday, he replied the judge wanted the actions handled before Monday.

Deputy Holloway told the woman a summons for jury duty would come from Rutherford County Circuit Court and no law enforcement agency would call her to set up a payment for fines.

Murfreesboro Police spokeswoman Amy Norville said the department does not maintain a warrants division.

"We don't handle jury notices either," Officer Norville said. "Any summons or warrants or anything we serve we do in person."

Sheriff Robert Arnold said the Sheriff's Office does not call citizens and ask them to pay fines for missing jury duty.

"We never call citizens and ask them for debit cards or money," Sheriff Arnold said. "I hope citizens will not feel pressured by these calls but simply get the caller's telephone number and report the information to the Sheriff's Office at 898-7770."

Detective Lt. Todd Sparks, who investigations similar scams, said Vanilla Network is similar to a prepaid debit card.

This woman recognized the call as a scam and did the right thing by calling the Sheriff's Office.

Source:

Lisa Marchesoni
Public information officer,
Rutherford County Sheriff's Office