Victory State Bank CEO, FBI Warn Residents Of Phone Callers’ ‘Jury Duty Scam’

Victory State Bank CEO, FBI Warn Residents

Of Phone Callers’ ‘Jury Duty Scam’

ID thieves tell targeted victims that arrest warrant has been issued for failing to show up for jury duty

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It’s all in the numbers – your personal numbers – when it comes to identity theft.

“If you are asked by an unsolicited caller to provide confidential information, hang up the phone,” warns Ralph Branca, CEO and president of Victory State Bank. “Given enough data, thieves can assume your financial identity and put your bank accounts in jeopardy.”

The FBI points to the “jury duty scam,” a variation of the many identity-theft ploys being used today.

The method involves a phone call in which the caller identifies himself as an officer of the court.

The scam artist tells his intended victim that he or she has failed to report for jury duty and an arrest warrant has been issued.

Naturally, the startled phone-call recipient responds by saying a notice was never received.

To resolve the problem, the caller offers a solution: Provide him with a bit of personal information for "verification purposes,” including birth date, Social Security number, and perhaps a credit card number.

“This is when you should hang up the phone,” advises the FBI.

According to the government agency, jury duty scams have been around for years, but have seen an increase during this decade.

As a rule, officers of the court never ask for confidential information over the phone; they generally correspond with prospective jurors by mail, the FBI explains.

“The jury duty scam is particularly threatening because it is quickly executed, and draws an emotional response from the victim,” said Branca, who heads Staten Island’s only community-based commercial bank.

Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and may be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation, explains the FBI.

"They get you scared first," said a special agent in the FBI’s Minneapolis field office. "They get people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I'm not a criminal.’”

About Victory State Bank

VSB Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: VSBN) is the one-bank holding company for Victory State Bank. Victory State Bank is a Staten Island-based commercial bank, which commenced operations on Nov. 17, 1997. The bank’s initial capitalization of $7 million was primarily raised within the community of Staten Island, N.Y. The Bancorp’s total equity has increased to $27 million, primarily through the retention of earnings. For additional information, Victory State Bank may be reached at 718-979-1100 or visited online at http://www.victorystatebank.com.

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