The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary is warning the public about a jury duty scam as 330,000 jury questionnaires are arriving in mailboxes statewide this week.

By law, Hawaiʻi residents must respond to jury questionnaires. However, scammers may try to exploit this legitimate process by impersonating court officials or law enforcement officers and claiming you have an outstanding warrant for failing to appear for jury duty. Victims are then pressured to pay a “fine” immediately to avoid arrest.

These scams can be convincing because perpetrators often use the names of real officials, provide actual court addresses, or manipulate caller ID to make it appear the call is coming from a government agency. In some cases, scammers may even have personal details about the intended victim, such as their name, address, or date of birth.

Important facts to remember:

• The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary does not call, email, or text to demand payment or personal information for jury-related matters.

• All official jury service communications are sent through the U.S. Postal Service, unless you have contacted the Judiciary first with a specific question.

The courts and law enforcement will never:

• Ask for your Social Security number, credit/debit card details, or bank account information over the phone or by email.
• Demand immediate payment via pre-paid debit cards, gift cards, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or online payment apps to avoid arrest or jail.
• Instruct you to meet at a courthouse, police station, or other location to make a payment.

 

For more information about jury duty scams, visit the “scam alerts” page on the Hawaiʻi State Judiciary website