“Deputy Kevin Jones” is a Fake: Sheriff’s Office warns of resurgent jury duty scam
By Mindy McKerrall on Wednesday, July 15th, 2026 in Eastern/Southeast Oregon News More Top Stories
HARNEY COUNTY-Local authorities are issuing a stern warning to residents after a surge in fraudulent phone calls from a scammer posing as a member of law enforcement.
According to reports, the caller identifies himself as “Deputy Kevin Jones” and uses aggressive, high-pressure tactics. He claims the victim has skipped jury duty, threatens them with immediate arrest, and demands payment to make the warrant “go away.”
First, the good news: there is no Deputy Kevin Jones on the force.
However, investigators warn that scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Just because this specific name is fake doesn’t mean the next one will be.
- The Bad News: Scammers frequently research local rosters to use the names of real deputies to make their lies sound authentic.
- The Tech Factor: They also use caller ID spoofing technology to make it look like the call is originating directly from the sheriff’s office or local courthouse.
Authorities want to make one thing absolutely clear to the community: real police officers do not operate this way.
Law enforcement agencies will never call you to threaten jail time, demand credit card numbers, request gift cards, or ask for cryptocurrency transfers to settle a warrant or missed jury duty summons.
If you have actually missed jury duty, any official notification or court order will arrive via mail, not through a threatening phone call out of the blue.
If your phone rings and someone claiming to be “Deputy Jones” (or any other officer) starts demanding money, follow these steps immediately:
- Hit the Red Button: You are under no obligation to stay on the line. It is perfectly okay to just hang up.
- Keep Your Information Safe: Never verify your address, social security number, birthdate, or financial details.
- Verify Independently: If you are genuinely concerned about a warrant, hang up and call the sheriff’s office or local court clerk directly using a verified number from an official government website—not the number the caller provides.
Spread the word to friends, family, and elderly neighbors who may be especially vulnerable to these aggressive tactics. When in doubt, hang up, block, and report.
