The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of a new scam in which a person has been calling individuals in the greater Portland/Scarborough area claiming to be from the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and then attempting to fraudulently obtain money.
The caller claimed to be the Captain of the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. He informed people that they had missed federal jury duty and that an “inactive” warrant was out for their arrest. In previous fraudulent calls of this type, the person contacted had been requested to obtain gift cards to pay a fine or to respond to the Cumberland County Jail.
The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office does have a Captain by the name given. It seems clear that this perpetrator is taking strides to learn the names of local law enforcement and details of the victims’ lives to make his scam seem more credible. If a person misses jury duty, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office will not call for restitution. The courts handle all matters pertaining to the courts.
If you receive a call of this nature, please call your local Police Department or the Cumberland County Regional Communications Center at 893-2810. You can then verify legitimacy before paying any “fines or restitution” related to any accusations of missing jury duty or grand jury duty.