Pasco woman loses $2,000 in emerging jury duty phone scam: 'Like a hostage situation'

LAND O' LAKES, Fla. - The Pasco Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam that has already claimed several victims in the county.

Land O’ Lakes resident Jana Cash said she lost $2,000 on Friday after receiving a call from someone claiming to be with PSO. The caller told her there was a warrant out for her arrest, because she missed jury duty.

What we know:

Cash said the scammers knew her personal information, including her home address, social security number, and driver’s license number. They instructed her to withdraw money and send it using a cryptocurrency machine to avoid arrest.

Cash said the scammers kept her on the phone for more than three hours, ordering her not to tell anyone what was happening. At first, she only had $1,000 available. She said she had t