A failure to report to jury duty call some residents received Wednesday morning was a scam, the sheriff said.
While the CallerID number that came up was the real phone number for the Atlantic County Sheriff's Office, the calls were apparently fake.
The message from a "Sgt. Jennings" told people to call 609-257-6575, which were answered by an auto-attendant listing offices and extensions, Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler said.
The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office does not use an auto-attendant, with all phone calls are answered live 24 hours a day, he said.
If a warrant was issued for a citizen for failing to appear for jury duty, the notice would come in the mail.
The sheriff warns people to never provide any financial information over the phone.
"If someone purporting to be an officer asks for any type of credit card or bank account number over the phone, it’s a scam," he said.
Detectives are investigating the source of the calls.
Anyone who questions any call is asked to contact the Sheriff's Office at 609-909-7200.
