The city of Emmett police chief and mayor are spreading the word that a phone scam that has made the rounds in various parts of the U.S. during the past year or so is targeting Idahoans.

The victims of this jury duty scam get a call from someone calling from what appears to be an Emmett number for the U.S. Marshals Office. The fraudulent number used is 208-398-3917.

The recipient of the call is told that they failed to report for federal jury duty and are threatened with arrest. The victims are told they can avoid being arrested by sending a sizable amount of money as "bail."

The full story is available on KBTV.com.  Information is also available through one victim's recount of her contact with the scammers.

If you receive a phone call from one of these individuals, please contact the Federal Jury Administrator directly at (208) 334-1493 or (800) 448-6172 with any questions or concerns.  These matters are immediately referred to the U.S. Marshals Service.