If you have received a text message or phone call informing you that you missed jury duty, feel free to ignore it.  According to a report in the Harrisburg Patriot-News, some Cumberland county residents have been receiving “joke” texts that read, “"Hey your name is in the paper! The court house has your name on a failure to appear list. U missed jury duty u need to call them ASAP here's the #704-319-7254."  Once the phone number is dialed listeners will hear a recorded message advising them that they failed to appear for jury duty.  For this failure to appear the message explains they will “face either a $500 fine or a 30-day jail sentence.”  The message then explains this call is a joke and urges listeners to prolong the hoax. 
 
Zygmont A. Pines, the Court Administrator of Pennsylvania, issued a news release from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.  “This prank is causing confusion and anxiety and has resulted in disruptions and undue work for court employees, which translates to a waste of tax dollars, . . . Please don’t forward these messages if you receive one. Our focus needs to be on providing the efficient administration of justice for the Commonwealth and its citizens.”
 
Cumberland County does not issue text messages regarding jury duty. A notice on the Cumberland County Court website advises recipients of the text to delete it and apologizes for any “unnecessary confusion and anxiety.”
 
Individuals in other counties may also be receiving the text messages. If you have concerns about whether you missed jury duty, you may contact your local jury office using PMC’s Jury Office Finder.