Kansas City woman thought she'd be arrested for missing jury duty. It was a scam.
A Kansas City metro woman says she was moments away from handing over thousands of dollars after receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be with the Jackson County court system.
The call came from an 816 number. There was no spam warning. Nothing appeared unusual. Then came the voicemail.
"Hello, my name is Michael Polanski... I'm with the jury commission for Jackson County... and it is regarding a missed court appearance for jury selection."
The woman, who asked not to be identified for safety reasons, told KMBC 9 Investigates she believed the caller because he already knew personal information, including her address and full name.
"He said there will be consequences, a potential warrant for your arrest if this isn't resolved soon," she said.
Federal investigators say scams involving impersonating government officials are common nationwide, but knowing the signs can help you stay safe and calm.
The woman said the caller instructed her to go to her financial institution and withdraw $3,000 in cash. He also allegedly ordered her not to hang up the phone.
"He said, 'Don't hang up. Keep me on the phone,'" she recalled.
Still believing the threat was real, she drove to Blue Ridge Bank and Trust to withdraw the money.
But inside the bank, branch manager Maude Gregg noticed something was wrong.
"She really didn't look me in the eye," Gregg said.
The woman requested thousands of dollars in cash but refused to explain why.
"She said, 'Well, I can't give you any of that,'" Gregg said.
Gregg said she realized the woman was likely being manipulated by scammers and immediately intervened.
"She looked me in the eye, and I was like, 'Turn that off.' She did it. She wasn't going to, but she did it," Gregg said.
Gregg told her directly, "That is fake. That is fraud. You're being scammed."
The woman broke down crying.
When asked how close she believes she came to losing money, she gave a one-word answer:
"95%."
The woman said scammers instructed her to meet at the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, a detail she believed was designed to make the scam sound believable.
After realizing what had happened, she contacted the Jackson County jury department to report the incident.
Former prosecutor and Jackson County Executive Phil Levota told KMBC 9 the calls are scams and stressed the courts do not threaten people with arrest or demand money over the phone.
"Absolutely not," Levota said when asked whether people can be arrested for missing jury duty. "They will not call you."
Jackson County courts also told KMBC 9 they will never call, text, or demand money from someone for allegedly missing jury duty.
Court officials urge anyone who receives a suspicious message not to click on links, send money, or provide personal information. Instead, they recommend hanging up and contacting the court directly.
"Emotionally, it would have destroyed me," the woman said. "Just the thought of people invading your privacy."
Gregg said she is thankful she recognized the warning signs before the woman lost her money.
"You just don't know what they're going to do," Gregg said. "Or if they had her go somewhere else and get more money."
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