Scammer pretending to be with the Cook County Sheriff's Office telling victims they 'missed jury duty'

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COOK COUNTY, Ill. - A scammer has been calling residents claiming to be an employee of the Cook County Sheriff's Office and telling them the call is related to a "legal matter."

The scammer calls from a number that appears as if it from the sheriff's office, and uses a ‘spoofing app,’ which is a mobile app used to create fake calls and text messages.

During these calls, the scammer will say it is related to a "legal matter," that the individual "missed jury duty" or that the individual would go to jail if they did not turn themselves in to police custody.

The scammer also knew the individuals' names.

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The Sheriff’s Office says in order to avoid becoming a victim of a phone scam, use the following tips:

If you believe a call is suspicious, immediately hang up.
Never give personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank account numbers over the phone.
If a caller claims to be from a specific public agency, hang up and call that agency directly to determine whether there is a legitimate reason to contact you.
Do not use any phone number given to you by the caller.

Cook County officials are encouraging citizens who receive these calls to contact the Sheriff’s Police nonemergency number at (847) 635-1188.