Rogers County Warning Of Jury Duty Warrant Scam

The Rogers County Sheriff’s Office is warning about a common scam that’s costing people thousands of dollars.

The scam has been going around for years, but in just the last couple of days, investigators said a Green Country couple was scammed out of $5,000, and they don't want you to become a victim too.

"I was in contempt of court for failure to appear because I didn't show up for jury duty," Wanda Inman said.

Inman said a man told her she owed $1,500, and the amount had to be paid immediately through prepaid cards or he would send a deputy to her home to arrest her.

Inman refused to pay and immediately called the courthouse, but others weren't so lucky.

District Court Clerk Kim Henry has been answering calls from scammed Oklahomans since last week.

"We don't do warrants first of all for jury duty," Henry said.

Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton said, in some instances, the scammer threatened their victim with a phone call. In others, the scammer left a message with a number the victim needed to call back to make their payment.

"The most professional sounding scam that we have ever heard," Walton said.

Once the scammer has the victim on the phone they ask them to pay using prepaid cards.

"The fear factor worked. It’s a tragedy," the sheriff said. "Requesting money, payment, prize was won, your grandchild is in a hospital or something, or injured, or in jail, any of these things that you think can no longer work, work daily."

Deputies said the moment the caller tells you to put your money on a prepaid card, that is a warning sign that you're dealing with a scammer and said you should hang up immediately.