JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Officials with the United States District Court in the Southern District of Mississippi are warning neighbors about a juror scam.

The Southern District of Mississippi includes metro-Jackson and all counties and municipalities along and south of Interstate 20.

Officials said a number of people have received phone calls and/or emails with threats of prosecution, including fines and jail time, for failing to appear for jury service in federal court. These calls and emails are fraudulent and are not connected with the U.S. Courts.

Members of the public also are warned about any request to provide confidential information in response to callers or to an email. The Southern District does not ask for sensitive information such as a Social Security number, driver’s license number, or mother’s maiden name, in a telephone call or email.

Initial contact between a federal court and a prospective juror will be through the U.S. mail to complete a juror qualification questionnaire (some jurors may subsequently go online to a secure court website to complete that questionnaire.) Phone contact by federal court officials to potential jurors will never include requests for Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, or any other sensitive information.

If you believe you were a victim of such a scam, you are encouraged to report the incident to your local FBI office.