Matthew Burnette, Staff Writer

A quartet of public officials and community leaders gave a presentation on potential scams to be aware of in the community at the December Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

Circuit Court Clerk Jenny Anthony spoke first about a jury duty fraud that she had heard about from a “tremendous amount” of people.

The scammers would contact residents who have recently received a jury summons and tell them they missed their appointment to report for jury duty. They would then demand the resident pay the $500 fine for missing jury duty over the phone.

“These jury scams want to make you feel like you’ve done a terrible thing and committed a terrible crime,” she explained. “We’ve had so many people who have fallen for it because it’s very believable when they call and very convincing. We don’t anyone to fall victim.”

“Jury service is very important and we need you,” added Anthony. “But don’t fall for any phone calls. We will never call you and threaten you and ask you to pay money over the phone.”

She also urged everyone to let her office know if they receive a suspicious phone call regarding jury duty.

Investigator Jonathan Anthony referenced a scam that happened in Coffee County where someone was convinced to invest money in an illegitimate website that was based in the Philippines.

He also handed out flyers that the sheriff’s department hands out warning the public that if what is being proposed seems too good to be true, then it is too good to be true. The flyer also advises potential scam victims to contact local law enforcement and gives a list of potential scams to watch out for.

Scams listed on the flyer include arrest warrant/summons scams, dating and romance scams via social media, investment scams, buying or selling scams, phishing scams where scammers pretend to be someone else in order to get information, work from home job scams and remote access scams where victims are asked to turn over control of their devices to fix problems.

“I could go on and on and on about these scams and how they affect people here in our community,” he said.

Coffee County Bank City President Brent Parsley noted that he’s had several older people come and talk to him at the bank who have been swindled out of thousands of dollars. He even said that he’s had to walk several people to the police department so the officers can convince them they have been taken advantage of.

“Let’s just work together as a community and as family to help our parents, grandparents and younger people (not fall victim to scams),” said Parsley.

First Vision Bank Vice President Brad Goodwin explained that the four speakers gathered for lunch prior to the Chamber luncheon to discuss the various scams they’ve encountered in the community.

He emphasized that, among the four of them after an hour of speaking, they had tallied over a million dollars that people in the county have lost in scams.

Goodwin explained that he’s seen highly educated people and even former bank employees fall victim to scams noted that there is a common theme with all of them: a sense of urgency.

“’You’ve got to do it now,’ ‘Something’s going to happen to you’ or ‘Something’s going to happen to me,’” he started. “That should be a red flag.“

Goodwin, though admitting slight bias, said that the reason he suggests banking locally is the personal touch and connection you get with them.

“We’re going to ask questions, but we’re not trying to be nosy,” he explained. “Every single day we’re seeing these things, and our job is to be good stewards of your money, and sometimes, even protect you from yourself.”

“We’re asking questions because we truly do care,” Goodwin continued. “We’d rather the money that you earn stay in your account and especially those in your family’s.”