Gresham Man Loses $40,000 in Fake Jury Duty Phone Scam

A 79-year-old Gresham man lost $40,000 after scammers told him he had missed jury duty and needed to pay a fee.

The incident began on Sept. 23 when the victim texted his daughter, Tarisa, to say he was busy and could not be reached. Tarisa, who is speaking publicly under a first-name-only basis for privacy, said the message seemed unusual. By evening, she noticed the timing did not make sense and drove to her father’s home in East Gresham. He was not there, which was rare for him. She called the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office. When he returned home, it became clear that he had been scammed.

Tarisa said her father told her the callers claimed he had missed jury service and owed money. Bank statements showed he withdrew the total amount from two different bank locations. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed that he then deposited the cash into a Bitcoin machine in southeast Portland. The scammers kept him on the phone for several hours during the process.

The family is still dealing with the financial and emotional fallout. Tarisa said the stress of the situation has weighed heavily on her father. She noted that the loss of money is only part of the burden. The family has submitted additional evidence to investigators. A spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office said they received the materials and that the case remains open. The office reported that they currently have no leads.

Tarisa said she is worried about what else the scammers might have accessed. She described the situation as a major crime with a major loss. She added that the scammers seem to know that victims often feel there is little that can be done once the money is gone. Her father has not received his money back. The Sheriff’s Office said he likely never will.

Tarisa hopes the story reminds other people to be careful with their money and personal information when talking on the phone. She emphasized the value of having someone to talk to when dealing with unexpected financial requests. The family is moving forward with the investigation, though the case remains unsolved.