Welcome to Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs
Jury Duty Scams Target Teachers
The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs is warning school employees about a jury duty scam that targets teachers. A scammer posing as a deputy calls a school and asks for a teacher by name. The scammer says the teacher missed jury duty and that an angry judge is about to issue a warrant. The scam is designed to scare teachers into paying a bogus penalty to avoid arrest.
Scammers may instruct teachers to leave their workplace immediately to go to the Justice Center, but this is a ploy to further the scam. Once a teacher is enroute, the scammer directs the victim instead to purchase gift cards or reloadable cards to pay a penalty.
Consumer Affairs is aware of multiple recent scam calls to Strongsville and Cleveland schools. One teacher lost $2,000 to the scam.
Consumer Affairs is warning school employees throughout Cuyahoga County that all jury duty arrest calls are scams. Report jury duty arrest calls immediately to Scam Squad at 216-443-SCAM(7226) or online at cuyahogacounty.us/scamsquad
The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs can help if you:
- Are charged the wrong price at the register
- Have a problem with a store or business you can’t resolve on your own
- Need resources to manage your budget or build credit
- Want to report or receive alerts about scams
- Have consumer questions or complaints
Our Consumer Protection Division mediates consumer complaints against businesses; lets consumers and business owners know about consumer protection laws; issues alerts about unfair sales tactics and scams; and helps consumers find information they need to shore up their finances.
Our Weights and Measures Division protects consumers by inspecting weights and measures throughout the county to make sure they’re accurate. Look for current Cuyahoga County Weights and Measures seals on gas pumps, scales used in sales, and timed devices including Laundromat dryers and air dispensers. In addition to sealing scales, the division periodically conducts sweeps to check sales prices or packaging.