South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Hughes County Sheriff Patrick Callahan are urging residents to be vigilant against a jury duty telephone scam after a Hughes County resident was defrauded out of $22,000.
The victim received a phone call from someone falsely claiming to represent the Hughes County Sheriffʼs Office, informing them that they had failed to appear for jury duty and faced arrest unless they paid a fine immediately using Bitcoin. Authorities emphasized that neither the Hughes County Sheriffʼs Office nor any legitimate law enforcement or court agency will demand
payment by phone or request cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin.
“These scams are designed to threaten and scare people into quick action without verifying the facts,” said Attorney General Jackley. “If you get a call or text about a jury duty summons, contact the court or clerkʼs office directly for confirmation.”
Sheriff Callahan added, “If you receive such a call, hang up immediately and report it to law enforcement. Never send money or personal information to unknown callers demanding payment.”
In addition to jury duty scams, Attorney General Jackley warned about a related text scam in which messages falsely claim to be from the South Dakota Department of Transportation, threatening immediate fines for unpaid traffic, toll, or parking tickets. The DOT does not send such texts.
Residents of Hughes County who receive suspicious calls or messages can verify their authenticity by contacting the Hughes County Sheriffʼs Office directly at 6057737410.
South Dakota courts never request payment over the phone or through cryptocurrency, and official jury summonses are always sent by mail. Citizens are encouraged to remain cautious, avoid sharing personal or financial information over phone calls, and report any suspicious
activity to authorities.
This warning comes amid multiple reported scams across central South Dakota involving fraudulent jury duty threats that have targeted residents with demands for thousands of dollars in Bitcoin or gift cards.