Two Georgia residents are accused of scamming north Alabama residents out of nearly $19,000 by phoning to say they’d missed federal jury duty and would be arrested unless they sent money immediately.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Birmingham, Alabama, says 35-year-old Teiana Marie Taylor and 42-year-old Orenthial Walker, both of Decatur, Georgia, were arrested Monday in Georgia. It says each is charged with conspiring to commit wire fraud.
The indictment alleges they’d tell victims to send money through gift cards or commercial services to an account they controlled, and would transfer it as directed by an unidentified co-conspirator.
A news release notes that federal courts mail jury summonses and never demand payment by phone or via gift cards.
The Bibb Voice warns citizens to be wary of anyone contacting you by telephone and demanding immediate payment for any purpose. The Bibb Voice has received telephone calls from imposters posing as agents for the Internal Revenue Service. These types of telephone calls are usually scams so be extra careful and verify who you are talking to before you send money to a caller.
