A Tampa-area woman lost $25,000 after scammers posing as law enforcement convinced her that she faced arrest for missing jury duty and kept her on the phone for nearly 10 hours.
Kimberly Fudge, 38, was at work when an unknown caller contacted her and eventually transferred her to someone claiming to be a sheriff’s deputy. The supposed deputy told her she had failed to appear for federal jury duty after signing paperwork promising to attend.
The callers said a judge had issued a warrant but offered her a way to avoid arrest, pay bail first, then report to authorities to prove that the signature on the jury paperwork was not hers. They also warned her that a supposed gag order prevented her from discussing the case with anyone.
According to AOL, which republished reporting on Fudge’s ordeal, a group of at least five scammers cycled through different law-enforcement roles while directing her movements and payments throughout the day.
The Scammers Sent Her to a Cryptocurrency Machine
The ordeal began at about 10:43 a.m. on July 21 while Fudge was at work. The initial caller said he was from New Port Richey in Pasco County, verified information about her identity and then transferred her to someone claiming to be a sheriff’s deputy.
The supposed deputy told Fudge she had missed jury duty in a federal case despite signing a document agreeing to appear. He claimed an angry judge had issued a warrant for her arrest but said she could avoid going to jail by posting bail and then reporting to authorities to prove that the signature on the paperwork was not actually hers. The initial demand was $15,000.
When Fudge said she could access only $4,000 at first, the scammers directed her to obtain the cash and travel to a convenience store containing a cryptocurrency machine. She was instructed to scan a QR code and feed the money into the machine. Fudge questioned whether a cryptocurrency kiosk was really how someone would post bail. The caller’s tone changed, and he warned that deputies were nearby and could arrest her if she did not follow instructions. She ultimately made the deposit.
Three Deposits Had Reached $17,000 by Early Afternoon
The first $4,000 payment did not end the supposed problem. After the deposit, another person took over the call and told Fudge that a judge had reviewed her finances and would not accept the smaller amount, meaning she still needed to produce the full $15,000.
She began gathering more money from other accounts. By approximately 2 p.m., Fudge had made three cryptocurrency deposits totaling $17,000, according to The Wall Street Journal. In the panic, she had sent $2,000 more than the supposed $15,000 bail requirement.
The callers then changed the rules again. They told her to drive toward the sheriff’s office to deal with the disputed signature, only to order her to pull over before she arrived. Now, they claimed the bail had been paid incorrectly because it was deposited in several installments rather than all at once.
By that point, Fudge told the callers she believed the situation might be a scam. Instead of releasing their hold over her, another voice joined the operation claiming to be a U.S. marshal and threatened to have her arrested.
They Knew Personal Details That Made the Story Harder to Dismiss
The callers possessed personal information that made their claims appear more credible. Fudge said they knew her Social Security number, how much money she had in her bank account and that both of her parents had retired from the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
They also used details and language associated with the legal system. The scammers supplied case information, law-enforcement identities and explanations for why Fudge supposedly could not discuss what was happening. At points during the call, she could hear what sounded like police radio traffic in the background.
The supposed gag order was particularly useful to the criminals because it isolated Fudge from people who might have recognized the fraud. She was told that discussing the alleged case could create additional legal trouble not only for her but also for anyone she told. That pressure continued even when her workplace tried to contact her about a meeting she was missing. The scammers allowed her to send only a brief message indicating that she was dealing with an emergency.
She Said the Scammers Appeared to Be Watching Her Phone
Another detail made the threats more frightening. Fudge said the callers appeared to know what she was doing on her phone while the scam was underway. When she searched for a bank location, one of the callers immediately questioned what she was searching for.
She said they also appeared able to monitor her location, incoming text messages and other activity. That made threats that officers knew where she was and could immediately arrest her much more believable.
Fudge had recently received a refurbished Samsung phone and was in the process of setting it up when the first call arrived. Cybersecurity experts interviewed by The Wall Street Journal said spyware already present on the refurbished device was a possible explanation for the apparent access.
Fudge later stopped using the phone and turned it over to investigators, while her family’s own account says the precise method by which the scammers appeared to monitor the device remains under investigation.
A Fake U.S. Marshal Escalated the Threats
After Fudge openly questioned whether she was being scammed, the callers did not back away. A new person claiming to be a U.S. marshal took over and became even more aggressive. Fudge said she was told not to move while authorities supposedly prepared to arrest her. The scammers then presented another supposed opportunity to avoid jail, pay an additional $15,000.
She obtained a $5,000 cash advance from a credit card as she tried to meet the new demand. At the scammers’ direction, she also contacted her husband, Jonathan, and asked him to send another $5,000 through PayPal without asking why she needed it. Jonathan initially sent the money because he trusted that the request was coming from his wife. Fudge transferred $3,000 through PayPal before the platform’s fraud protections prevented her from sending more.
Her Husband Realized Something Was Wrong
The unusual request for $5,000 without an explanation made Jonathan increasingly suspicious. When his wife later requested another $2,500, he refused to send more until he knew she was safe.
He contacted 911. By approximately 6:30 p.m., Kimberly had already spent close to eight hours driving alone while remaining on the phone with the scammers, according to the Journal.
The callers eventually brought Jonathan into the conversation. They continued presenting themselves as law enforcement and warned Kimberly not to speak unless she was instructed to do so, threatening that officers could retrieve her from her location.
Jonathan eventually persuaded the callers to let his wife return home by telling them she needed to pick up a debit card before making another withdrawal. The scammers agreed but continued threatening her with arrest and even suggested she might need to stay in a hotel and resume obtaining money the following day.
She Walked Through Her Door Nearly 10 Hours After the First Call
Fudge returned home at 8:28 p.m., nearly 10 hours after the first caller contacted her that morning. A real law-enforcement deputy arrived shortly afterward and took a report. By then, the family had lost approximately $25,000. The payment trail included the earlier cryptocurrency deposits, money obtained through a credit-card cash advance and funds transferred through PayPal.
The Wall Street Journal reported that at least five people appeared to participate in the operation, taking turns playing different roles. The callers used convincing Florida accents, changed personalities as the situation evolved and repeatedly provided new explanations whenever Fudge challenged inconsistencies in their story.
The family’s own account says reports were made to Hillsborough and Pasco County authorities and that the matter was being referred to cybercrime and financial-crime investigators. They also planned reports to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and the Federal Trade Commission.
Jury-Duty Scams Have Been Increasing Around Tampa
The Wall Street Journal reported that the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office had received 44 reports of jury-duty scams in 2026 at the time of its reporting, compared with 25 during all of 2025.
The federal judiciary warns that scammers use threats of fines, prosecution and jail to pressure people into giving up money or confidential information. Genuine federal court officials do not conduct jury business that way.
There Is No Federal “Preemptive Bail” Payment to Avoid Arrest
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, which includes Tampa, has issued a specific warning about this type of scheme. The court says a request for payment to avoid arrest is fraudulent. Scammers sometimes describe the payment as “preemptive bail,” but the court says no such process exists in federal court.
Federal jury summonses are sent through the U.S. mail. If someone disregards a summons, the court clerk’s office may contact that person and, in some circumstances, a judge can order the prospective juror to appear. Any such judicial order is in writing and signed by a judge.
Even if a judge eventually considers imposing a fine for failure to appear, the court says that does not happen through an unexpected phone demand. The person first has an opportunity to appear in court and explain the circumstances, and any fine would be imposed openly and documented in writing.
Hang Up Before Trying to Determine Whether the Story Is Real
The safest response to an unexpected caller threatening arrest over missed jury duty is to end the call. Staying on the line gives scammers more opportunities to create urgency, answer objections and prevent the victim from independently checking their story.
Look up the court, sheriff’s office or police department independently and contact it through an official number. Tampa-area residents concerned about federal jury service can contact the Middle District of Florida’s Tampa jury staff directly. A supposed officer who says hanging up, talking to a spouse or contacting an attorney will violate a gag order is providing another reason to end the conversation.
Anyone who has already sent money should act immediately. The FTC advises contacting the bank, card issuer, payment app or cryptocurrency company used in the transaction and reporting that the payment resulted from fraud. Cryptocurrency transfers are generally difficult to reverse, but victims should still notify the company or kiosk operator as quickly as possible.
Jury-duty impersonation scams can be reported to local law enforcement, the Federal Trade Commission and, when the scheme involves internet communications, cryptocurrency or other cyber-enabled activity, the FBI through IC3.gov.