Fake Jury Duty Scams on Email
Fraudulent emails claim you missed jury duty and face a fine or arrest, pressuring you to pay or share personal details to 'clear' the supposed offence.
Part of: Fake Jury Duty Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
A fake jury duty email exploits a civic obligation most people take seriously but understand only vaguely. A message stating you failed to appear for jury service, complete with a court logo, a 'summons number', and a warning of penalties, can rattle a recipient into compliance before they question how courts actually communicate.
Courts do not collect fines for missed jury duty by unsolicited email. Email is attractive to scammers because court branding is easy to copy, addresses are simple to spoof, and a single template referencing 'failure to appear' can be sent in bulk to provoke panic.
How this scam works on Email
The email states you were summoned for jury duty, failed to attend, and now face a fine or a 'failure to appear' warrant. It cites a case or summons number and demands you respond within a short window.
You are directed to pay a fine through a link or to reply with personal details — date of birth, identity number, bank information — to 'verify your record' and avoid arrest. Links lead to cloned payment pages and attachments may carry malware.
The threat of a warrant for ignoring a court order is calibrated to override doubt and prompt immediate payment.
Common red flags
- An email claims you missed jury duty and now face a fine or warrant
- You are told to pay quickly to avoid arrest for 'failure to appear'
- A link or attachment is provided to settle the supposed fine
- You are asked to reply with identity and banking details
- The sender address does not match a genuine court domain
- Payment is requested via vouchers, transfer, or cryptocurrency
How to protect yourself
- Know that courts do not collect jury-duty fines by unsolicited email
- Do not click links or open attachments in jury-duty emails
- Verify any jury-service matter by contacting the court directly using official details
- Never reply with identity or banking information
- Check the sender's full address against the court's official domain
- Report the email via your provider's phishing tool and delete it
How to report it
- Use your email provider's 'Report phishing' function on the message
- Contact your local court clerk's office to report the impersonation
- File a report with your national fraud or cybercrime reporting centre
Frequently asked questions
Do courts ever email about a missed jury summons with a fine?
Courts communicate jury matters through official mail and verified processes, not unsolicited emails demanding payment to avoid arrest. Treat any such email as a scam and confirm directly with the court clerk.