70-year-old Arizona nurse loses $9,260

Gail Barr, a 70-year-old Arizona nurse practitioner, said a caller claiming to be with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office convinced her she had missed jury duty and owed an immediate payment. Barr deposited $9,260 into a Bitcoin kiosk at a Circle K after being told she faced arrest if she did not comply, according to Fox News’ CyberGuy report published May 19 and republished by AOL on May 21. Arizona court officials and the state attorney general have separately warned that jury-duty scams increasingly steer victims to cryptocurrency kiosks and often use real names, badge numbers and spoofed phone lines to appear legitimate. ### How did the caller make the story sound real? Barr told Fox News the caller identified himself as Chief Deputy Derek Elmore with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and said there was an urgent legal issue involving court documents from an Arizona judge. When she called back, the caller said she had missed jury duty and needed to pay nearly $10,000 or risk arrest, according to the report. Fox News said the scammers used the names of real local officials as part of the pitch. (cyberguy.com) Maricopa County Superior Court said in an April 9, 2025 warning that scammers impersonate law enforcement, cite fake badge and case numbers, and manipulate caller ID to display an actual agency. Tiana Burdick, interim jury administrator for the Judicial Branch of Arizona in Maricopa County, said the fraudsters were “using real law enforcement identities and badge numbers.” (cyberguy.com) ### Why did the payment end up at a Bitcoin kiosk? Fox News said the scammer directed Barr to a Bitcoin ATM, where she made multiple deposits totaling $9,260. The report said the machine was at a Circle K and that the caller kept pressure on her through the payment process. Barr later said a bank manager intervened before she could be pushed into withdrawing more cash. (superiorcourt.maricopa.gov) Attorney General Kris Mayes said on February 2 that scammers are increasingly pushing victims to withdraw cash and deposit it into cryptocurrency ATMs located in gas stations, grocery stores and other retailers. Mayes said Arizona had about 600 cryptocurrency ATMs statewide and warned that if someone is directing a consumer to use one, “there’s a very very high chance you’re being scammed.” (cyberguy.com) ### Do courts ever demand money like this? Maricopa County court officials said no legitimate court or law enforcement office will call unexpectedly and demand immediate payment over the phone or through cryptocurrency. The Superior Court said missed-jury notices are sent by U.S. mail, and any jury-service fine would be imposed by a judge in a courtroom. The court tells residents with questions about jury status to call the jury office directly at the official number rather than rely on an incoming caller. (azag.gov) Maricopa County Justice Courts make the same point in a separate scam advisory. The court says callers may know a real address, real case number or real official’s name, but a legitimate office will not demand money over an unsolicited call. ### Why are older adults a frequent target in crypto-kiosk scams? Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said older adults are being disproportionately targeted in cryptocurrency ATM fraud. (superiorcourt.maricopa.gov) Her office said Arizonans lost more than $177 million in 2024 to these schemes, and cited FBI data showing a 99% increase in complaints involving cryptocurrency ATMs, with more than two-thirds of victims over 60. (justicecourts.maricopa.gov) Maricopa County Justice Courts said people over 65 are “especially susceptible” to this kind of court-impersonation fraud. The court said scams tied to fake warrants, missed jury duty and urgent payments are persistent, not isolated. ### What should someone do if they get a call like this? Maricopa County Superior Court says recipients should hang up, write down the number, and contact law enforcement or the jury office directly. (azag.gov) The court says residents can verify jury status through the official office and report incidents to the Federal Trade Commission at its fraud portal. (justicecourts.maricopa.gov) Arizona’s attorney general said victims who report quickly may have a better chance under the state’s crypto-kiosk protections, which Mayes’ office says can help newer users recover money lost in a scam. Barr’s case was cited by Fox News as one example of how a traditional jury-duty threat is now being paired with a crypto payment rail that moves cash fast and leaves victims with little time to stop it. (azag.gov) (superiorcourt.maricopa.gov)