Phone call prank hits Pennsylvania

October 1, 2012

By Megan Henney
Collegian Staff Writer

A hoax phone call telling people they failed to report for jury duty has been circulating across the state, according to a release issued by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.

Many citizens complained about receiving a phone call or text message from family members or friends about their failure to report for jury duty. The message indicated that their names appeared in the local newspaper.

Citizens were then instructed to call a phone number, where a recorded message tells them they could face a $ 500 fine or a 30-day sentence in jail, according to the release. At the end of the message, callers are notified that the call is a joke and should be forwarded to others to continue the prank.

However, Centre County Commissioner Michael Pipe said there has been no news of a phone call hoax in Centre County.

"My guess, and this is just a hunch, would probably be it originated not somewhere in Central Pennsylvania," Pipe said. "So somewhere either near Allegheny County or Philadelphia County."

Pipe said if anyone had more information on where the prank was coming from, or a phone number from which they had received the call, they should contact a court administrator or the courts in Centre County to inform them about it.

"It's a hoax," he said. "No one should be concerned about paying the fine or missing jury duty."

Likewise, Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller said she did not know much about the phone call.

She said there had been no complaints of the phone call in Centre County that she knew of.

"If anyone has any questions about jury selection, it's a formal process and you get notified by mail by the court administrator office and your local county," Parks Miller said. "So if you're getting notice any other way, it's not legitimate."

Court Administrator of Pennsylvania Zygmont A. Pine s said in the press release that people should not forward the message if they receive it.

"This prank is causing confusion and anxiety and has resulted in disruptions and undue work for court employees, which translates to a waste of tax dollars," Pines said in the release.

 

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