Dept. of Defense photo by Regina Ali

MAYS LANDING – Atlantic County Sheriff Eric Scheffler today announced on the department’s Facebook page that a failure to appear for jury duty phone scam is making the rounds.

Caller ID information from these phony calls displays the 609-909-7200 number from the Sheriff’s Office, Scheffler said.

People are receiving phone calls and voicemails from a “Sgt. Jennings” directing people to call 609-257-6575. Calls are answered by an auto-attendant with a list of offices and extensions. The message even inaccurately announces the Sheriff’s Office address as 1201 Bacharach Blvd.

The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office does not use an auto-attendant, Scheffler said. All phone calls are answered by a live person 24 hours a day. If a warrant was issued for a citizen for failing to appear for jury duty they would be noticed by mail, he said.

Never provide any financial information over the phone, the Sheriff advised. If someone purporting to be an officer, asks for any type of credit card or bank account number over the phone, it’s a scam.

Detectives are investigating the source of these calls. If you are ever in doubt about the veracity of a call, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at 609-909-7200.


Nanette LoBiondo Galloway

Award winning journalist covering news, events and people of Atlantic County for more than 20 years.