Media contact(s):
Mary Louise Madigan: (216) 698-2521; mlmadigan@cuyahogacounty.us

CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs is warning schools about a jury duty scam that targets teachers. A scammer posing as a deputy calls a school and asks for a teacher by name. The scammer says the teacher missed jury duty and that an angry judge is about to issue a warrant. The scam is designed to scare teachers into paying a bogus penalty to avoid arrest.

Scammers may instruct teachers to leave their workplace immediately to go to the Justice Center, but this is a ploy to further the scam. Once a teacher is enroute, the scammer directs the victim instead to purchase gift cards or reloadable cards to pay a penalty.

Consumer Affairs is aware of multiple recent scam calls to Strongsville and Cleveland schools. One teacher lost $2,000 to the scam.

Consumer Affairs is asking all Cuyahoga County school districts to warn staff that all jury duty arrest calls are scams. Report jury duty arrest calls immediately to Scam Squad at 216-443-SCAM(7226) or online at cuyahogacounty.us/scamsquad.