Pa. court: Fake texts threatening jury duty penalties causing ‘confusion and anxiety’

Officials with the Cumberland County Court in Carlisle, Pa. are looking for the person behind an elaborate scheme attempting to convince residents they are facing penalties for missing jury duty, according to a release.

Numerous people have reported receiving a text message reading, “Hey your name is in the paper! The court house has your name on a failure to appear list. U missed jury duty u need to call them ASAP here’s the #704-319-7254.”

When a person dials the number, they’re met with a male voice stating that, per an urgent notice from the National Justice Center, the caller failed to appear for jury duty last Monday and is facing either a $500 fine or a 30-day prison sentence.

“It is believed at this point, some people are hanging up,” the courthouse release states. “However at the conclusion of the message, the caller states that it is a joke and that you can forward the message to ten of your friends to pull a joke on them.”

Officials go on to say that they are aware of residents in several other Pennsylvania counties who have also received the message. “Please be advised that the Cumberland County Courts are not issuing any text messages or printing failure to appear juror names in any newspapers,” the release says. “If you receive this text, delete it. Unfortunately, it is causing unnecessary confusion and

anxiety.”