![The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office says area residents are being targeted in a jury duty scam for prepaid cards. [FILE PHOTO | NEWS BULLETIN]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-7b0aa91d-2280-6e2a-e053-0100007f1351-f7dddd2d.jpeg)
CRESTVIEW — With the holiday season approaching, area organizations like the Northwest Florida Better Business Bureau and police departments are alerting residents to various scams.
Jury duty and active warrants scams
An Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a scam where a caller poses as an OCSO deputy and tells the person to pay hundreds of dollars in fines for missing jury duty.
"At least one person who fell for the scheme is out $1,500.00 as a result," the release stated.
"The caller ID showed 'Okaloosa County' in one of the cases and the caller told the victim he had missed jury Duty and would be held in in criminal contempt if he didn’t pay $500 for a fine, and $400 for court fees. The caller told the victim his phone was being tracked via GPS and if he didn’t comply he would be arrested," the release stated.
The caller kept the victim on the phone, telling him to go to a retail store and purchase two Green Dot prepaid debit cards.
"The caller had the victim provide the numbers off the back of the cards. The caller then advised the victim one of the cards was no good and had him purchase another one for an additional $500. The caller then had the victim drive to the OCSO Livingston Office at 197 E. James Lee where a deputy would make contact with him. After no deputy arrived, the victim made contact with the Sheriff’s Office," the release stated.
A second victim received a similar phone call and instructions, purchased three prepaid cards and provided the card information to the suspect. That victim was also directed to go to James Lee Boulevard to meet a deputy, with the same results.
How to avoid this scam
These scams are quite common and can be extremely difficult to trace so the best way to fight them is through prevention and education.
Legitimate operations would not require a person to purchase prepaid or gift cards and provide the numbers.
People who receive phone calls about jury duty from a person posing as an OCSO Sheriff's deputy should hang up and contact the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office directly at 689-5705 or 651-7400.
Secret Sister Exchange scam
One is a chain letter exchange scam that could be used to steal people's identity or money, according to the BBB.
The Secret Sister Exchange is a scam recirculating on social media right now. It's similar to chain letter gift exchanges that were popular in the 90s and email chain letter common in the early 2000s.
Gift chains are illegal. They "are a form of gambling, and sending them through the mail (or delivering them in person or by computer, but mailing money to participate) violates Title 18, United States Code, Section 1302, the Postal Lottery Statute," the BBB stated in a media release.
The Secret Sister scam welcomes participants into it with the following instructions:
1) Send one gift value at least $10 to secret sister No. 1 below.
2) Remove secret sister's name from No. 1; then move secret sister No. 2 to that spot.
3) Add your name to No. 2 with your info.
4) Then send this info to 6 other ladies with the updated name info.
In the next step, the contact asks a person to copy the secret sister request from their wall to the victim's own wall. The instructions further state: "If you cannot complete this within 1 week please notify me, as it isn't fair to the ladies who have participated and are waiting for their own gifts to arrive."
It recommends where items can be purchased and tells potential victims how they could soon receive 36 gifts just for giving one, and how they should start arriving in a few weeks. Most participants will never receive the promised avalanche of holiday gifts.
How to avoid this scam
The best thing to do is completely ignore it altogether. Do not give out personal information to anyone. Chain letters via social media and U.S. mail that involve money or valuable items and promise big returns are illegal. People who start a chain letter or send one are breaking the law.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Prepaid card, chain letter scams circulating