Fraud alert: Auburn woman who was victim of jury fraud warns others

AUBURN, Ala. (WRBL) – Beth Bedsole, director of an Auburn preschool, experienced a terrifying ordeal this week when she received an alarming voicemail on her cellphone. The message, supposedly from “Deputy Weaver of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office,” claimed she urgently needed to call him back.

“We thought a family member had had an accident – ​​we didn’t know why he was contacting us,” Beth explained her immediate concern as she called back the Notasulga number.

When Beth called, she was shocked to learn that there were two warrants out for her arrest for missing jury duty in federal court. “He said, ‘Ms. Bedsole, we have a problem because you didn’t show up and you didn’t tell us why,'” Bedsole said.

While driving, she told the man she needed to call her husband, but he insisted she stay on the line. “You cannot hang up because there are currently warrants out for your arrest and if you are stopped, you will be arrested,” he warned.

Beth feared the worst. “I’m the director of a preschool and this would ruin everything. I think about my kids and all that stuff.”

When Beth got home, she and her husband went to Walmart as instructed to wire $2,000. On the way, they called a family member who was actually a deputy. The revelation came quickly and was shocking.

“He said, ‘This is a scam, hang up,'” Beth recalled. “We were like, ‘What?’ And he was like, ‘Yeah, this is a scam. You’re either doing this for jury duty or for some other reason. Let me guess: He wants you to go to Walmart to a special kiosk to get bitcoins. Take the receipt to the sheriff’s office and they’ll look at you like they have no idea what you’re talking about.'”

When Beth realized it was a scam, she hung up. However, the WRBL news team felt compelled to call the number. The scammer answered by saying “Detective Weaver, Sheriff’s Office. How can I help you?” and tried to convince us that he was looking for our information and was from the Sheriff’s Office. The scammer denied everything and then hung up.

Scammers prey on people who want to do the right thing by using detailed personal information and real names of judges or officials, spoofing caller ID, and demanding immediate payment via gift card or wire transfer.

It is critical for families to know that court officials and law enforcement will never ask for payments by phone or email.

“If my story helps one person or one family, that’s all I want. Because $2,000 is a lot of money that could mean someone’s electricity going out or groceries not being bought. That’s just not right,” Beth said.

The Lee County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office recently issued warnings about such scams targeting East Alabama residents. “Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics. Jury fraud is not new, but the latest variations involve more personal details and familiar names to deceive people,” said Lee County Circuit Court Clerk Mary Roberson. “No citizen summoned for jury duty will be asked by a court officer over the phone to pay a fine into a virtual bank account or buy gift cards to avoid a warrant or have a warrant revoked.”

Roberson expressed her concern for the community, especially the more vulnerable members who may not realize it is a scam. “It is heartbreaking to think that sex offenders prey on those who are just trying to get out of trouble,” she added. “If you are ever in doubt, call our office or your local law enforcement agency to confirm.”

Beth advises everyone to stay vigilant and inform their loved ones, especially the elderly and other vulnerable groups, about these scams. “It’s crucial to spread the word and make sure everyone is aware of these tactics so no one falls victim to them,” she said.

Just this week, a victim in Tallapoosa County was scammed out of $1,000 using the name of Deputy Police Chief Fred White. According to Chief White, the sheriff’s office is placing PSAs in the local newspaper in an attempt to reach people who may not see scam alerts on social media.

“The scammers call from an Anniston phone number (256) 294-4522. This type of fraud is called spoofing,” White said.

Keep this in mind:

1. Reputable law enforcement agencies will not demand immediate payments over the phone to avoid arrest or to quash an arrest warrant.
2. Verify the identity of your caller: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a public official, ask for the caller’s name, their service number, and the agency they claim to represent. Hang up and verify their identity yourself by calling the official phone number for that agency. Do not use the phone number provided by the caller.
3. Do not give out personal information such as social security numbers, bank account details or credit card information to unknown callers.

Report Suspicious Calls: If you believe you have fallen victim to this scam or have information about suspicious calls, please immediately report it to your local law enforcement agency and the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov/complaint.