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CUYAHOGA COUNTY (WJW) — The Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court is warning citizens to be aware of a new scam involving jury duty.

Reportedly, local victims are receiving fraudulent emails and phone calls telling them they failed to appear for jury service and now could serve jail time if they don’t pay out. The messages are reportedly high-pressure and convincing.

The county made clear in a statement today that no one from the court or county will ever ask you for money to avoid going to jail. They also said most juror correspondence is through the mail, but if the phone is used, an employee will never ask for your social security number or other sensitive information.

“It is unfortunate that unscrupulous scammers would target people who believe they have missed a chance to perform their civic duty,” judge Brendan J. Sheehan said in a statement. “Jury duty is a vital civic responsibility and should be taken seriously by all citizens.”

Anyone who receives one of these fake calls or emails should report the incident to the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department immediately.