Scam Alert for Somerset County Residents

Newspaper editor almost scammed, along with many other folks.

By Barbara A. Preston | Posted July 2, 2024

A man who identified himself as a law enforcement agent, and gave a fictitious badge number, called a Montgomery Township newspaper editor this week and told the editor that if she did not pay two surety bonds totaling $1,800, that he would arrest her.

"Ma'am, this is Sgt. David Lewis of the Somerset County Sheriff's Office, civil division," he lied. "You failed to appear for jury duty. You are being charged with contempt of court. Write this number down: COC 764 - CV1971. This is your charge. You will need to post an $800 surety bond immediately."

"You have also been charged with failure to appear in court — FTA 779 - CV1544. You will need to post a $1,000 surety bond for this charge."

"One is a criminal charge and one was civil," he continued. "You have 72 hours to pay these bonds, or you will be arrested."

The victim told the caller that she never received a jury duty notification in the mail.

"Oh, yes, ma'am," said the fictitious Sgt. Lewis. "We have your signature acknowledging that you received it."

The victim asked if she should get a lawyer. "Oh no, ma'am," the man said. "If you do that, you will not be eligible for this program."

When the victim informed the caller that she knew the Somerset County sheriff and that she was going to call him about this, the fictitious Sgt. Lewis hung up.

Jury Duty Scams in Somerset County

There has been a significant recent increase in Somerset County identity theft scams where scammers call residents and pose as sheriff officers or jury duty managers. The scammer asks the “jurors” for personal information and informing the victims that they have missed their jury duty obligation and are being fined or threatened with arrest.

The caller may ask the victim for personal information, such as a social security number and bank account information to pay the fines.

If you receive a phone call from a person identifying themselves as a jury duty manager or sheriff's officer, Prosecutor John P. McDonald, Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Chief of County Detectives Francisco Roman Jr., and Somerset County Sheriff Darrin Russo are advising Somerset County residents of the following:

• The New Jersey Judiciary does not contact people by phone, e-mail, or by sending representatives to their respective homes.

• The New Jersey Judiciary does not make follow-up calls or send emails to jurors.

• The judiciary will NEVER ask you for personal information or payment for fines for not attending jury duty over the phone or via email.

• Somerset County residents who receive suspicious communications concerning jury duty should disconnect and call or email the real Somerset County jury manager at Somjurymbx@njcourts.gov or 908.332.7700 ext. 13025 to verify.
  

Mail Fraud - The Distraint Warrant Tax Scam

Somerset County also has seen an increase in what scammers refer to as a distraint warrant tax scam. In this scam, residents receive a “Distraint Warrant” letter sent via US Mail from a fraudulent “tax processing unit.” The letter advises the resident of an unpaid tax debt that needs to be paid by calling a phone number provided before interest is accrued or levying procedures begin.

Although the notices look real, they are not.

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Prosecutor McDonald advises residents to protect themselves against these mail and telephone scams by looking for red flags that may indicate a scam. Here are some details to watch for to protect yourself against falling victim to these scams.

If you receive a distraint warrant notice in the mail stating that you owe a balance, due to unpaid taxes to the State of New Jersey, do not call the number listed on the notice, instead call your county’s tax department to verify if you have any financial obligations. Please note the following:

• Somerset County does not have a “Tax Processing Unit,” a “Tax Assessment Security Unit” or a “Tax Group Seizure Unit” as stated on many of these fraudulent notices.

• A legitimate correspondence from the New Jersey Division of Taxation or the Somerset County Tax Board will include contact information and a complete return mailing address to allow you to respond by mail, phone or online.

• The New Jersey Division of Taxation does not use the term “distraint” and a legitimate notice will always provide the recipient with the NJ Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights.

• Somerset County will not accept payment via electronic apps such as CashApp, Zelle, or gift cards, the requested form of payment for many of these scams.

• If the contact person is asking for personal information such as a social security number or bank account numbers, NEVER provide any personal information without first verifying that the notice is legitimate.

If you are a Somerset County resident and you received a suspicious communication regarding

your taxes or a tax debt, please do not call the number listed in the letter, instead contact the

Somerset County Tax Board at 908.541.7501 to confirm the legitimacy of the mailing you

received.

Prosecutor McDonald said residents should look for red flag indicators of a possible scam to avoid falling victim to these scammers. If you receive a communication that appears suspicious, take the time to verify the origin of the communication before providing any personal information or payment in response.

If you feel that you have been a victim of a distraint warrant tax scam or a jury duty scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance.