WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — It's the season to be merry, not the season to fall victim to scammers.
Law enforcement agencies across the Triad are sounding the alarm, to be mindful when it comes to anything this holiday season.
Jury Duty is something we all have to participate in, but a new scam is getting thousands out of people.
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office said they are getting reports that someone is calling people, claiming there's an order out for their arrest because they missed jury duty.
This isn't true.
Sheriff Bobby Kimbrough explained that just this week alone, he's seen large amounts of money taken from people who fear they missed jury duty and may be arrested.
It's important to note, that the sheriff's office is not going to arrest you for missing jury duty.
Sheriff Kimbrough said you'll likely get a letter in the mail, not a phone call claiming there's a warrant out for your arrest.
This is one of many scams the county is seeing, and Sheriff Kimbrough said he wants people to stay smart this holiday season.
"We've had scams where people are wanting you to send money for particular items. 'You can get this at a low cost,' what I say is this, be wary of anyone trying to give you something or save you a ton of money," Sheriff Kimbrough said.
Other departments across the Triad have been seeing similar scams.
We just learned a couple of weeks ago of one in Alamance County.
Like in Forsyth, someone is calling people claiming to be a deputy, saying that person missed jury duty.
One woman told WFMY that she lost $750 from this scam.
Keep in mind, if you are caught committing these scams, it's likely a felony charge.
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