Two weeks ago, a Vicksburg woman reported having money stolen following an encounter with a man at a local drug store.

The woman told police a man approached her in a parking lot, showed her a bag of money and asked her if she had dropped it. She told him no, Vicksburg Police Lt. Bobby Stewart said in an article published March 6, and the man asked her to go to the bank and withdraw some money and the two would split the amount.

The woman said the man led her to believe the agreement would benefit her financially, Stewart said. He described it as a theft of deception.

The woman visited the bank and returned to the drug store, Stewart said, where the man took the cash and left.

Sean P. Murphy is Web editor. He can be reached at smurphy@vicksburgpost.

No matter how convincing, had the victim taken a step back and a deep breath, the old saying, “If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is” might have popped into her head.

The woman fell victim to a scam, but certainly she is not alone. Scammers are crafty, conniving people who prey on a trusting public.

With the Census in full swing, stories of those scammed by a friendly phone call or a convincing e-mail, which likely will ask for the disclosure of bank information, date of birth or a Social Security number, will rise.

The FBI has alerted the public to a new scam involving an “officer of the court” calling people who have failed to report for jury duty. Since many people who get jury summonses fail to report, the scam almost sounds legit.

The FBI reports the “officer” will ask for information for verification purposes, including birth date and Social Security number or even a credit card number.

The FBI says the scam’s bold simplicity might be what makes it so effective. Facing the unexpected threat of arrest, victims are caught off guard and might be quick to part with some information to defuse the situation.

Jury schemes, the FBI reports, have been around for years, but have seen a recent rise as well. Communities in at least a dozen states — Mississippi not included yet — have reported such scams. It could be reported easily in this state as well.

There are lousy people in this world whose goal in life is to prosper off the trusting, the ignorant or the ill-informed. In tough economic times, scammers will find different and more elaborate ways of separating you from your money.

Be on guard. And never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.