A Cary woman lost thousands of dollars in a jury duty scam, according to WTVD. The incident occurred recently in Wake County, where scammers increasingly target residents through sophisticated phone calls.
What happened
Mia Bashir revealed her experience after receiving a deceptive call from someone impersonating a deputy. “I answered the phone and the guy introduced himself as a deputy,” Bashir told Troubleshooter Diane Wilson.
The caller had detailed personal information, including Bashir’s full name and Social Security number, which made the scam seem credible. “That made me think that this was legitimate,” she said.
The caller claimed Bashir had failed to appear for jury duty and was facing civil and criminal charges. As the conversation progressed, Bashir received texts claiming to be from the U.S. Department of Justice detailing supposed violations.
“They were going to help me take care of it,” Bashir recalled. “They were going to walk me through the process, get me in the car, and have me basically post my bond.”
Under the scam’s pressure, Bashir withdrew thousands from her bank and went to a gas station, following the caller’s instructions to deposit the money into a cryptocurrency ATM.
Why it matters
Bashir’s case highlights a growing trend of jury duty scams that pose substantial risks to individuals. Recently, the FBI reported losses nearing $389 million from cryptocurrency ATM scams in 2025, illustrating the scale of the issue.
The North Carolina Attorney General has warned that these scams aim to create panic, prompting immediate payments without verification. Authorities stress that law enforcement will never demand payment or threaten arrest for missed jury duty.
Background
On May 20, 2026, Wake County embarked on efforts to combat rising fraud cases related to jury duty impersonations. The Sheriff’s Office has received numerous reports about scammers using the names and badge numbers of actual deputies to lend credibility to their calls.
In July 2025, the ABC11 I-Team began investigating cryptocurrency-related scams. They uncovered that many victims in similar situations were misled into using bitcoin ATMs, facilitating untraceable transactions.
What’s next
Local law enforcement will continue to educate residents on the dangers of these scams. Additionally, North Carolina lawmakers are considering new legislation aimed at enhancing protections against such fraudulent activities in cryptocurrency transactions.
