Scammers are posing as jail detention officers and telling families to pay bond or ankle monitor fees. Here is how to spot the call and what to do.
Scammers are calling families and pretending to be jail detention officers, the Washington County Sheriff's Office says. The caller claims a loved one is locked up and that money is needed right away, either for bond or for an ankle monitor.
The callers use real details. Booking information from public records is available to anyone, so a caller may know facts about the person in jail. That can make the call sound official. Some callers add a threat: if no one pays, the person will stay in jail for 90 days. They may also use private numbers and push you to act fast.
A call about a family member in trouble makes most people panic, and that is the point. Knowing a few correct details does not prove the caller works for the jail.
The steps are in the alert box above. In short, do not pay, hang up, and call the sheriff's office yourself at (918) 332-4000 to check the story.
The warning is aimed at families and friends of people held in jail, especially in Washington County. The same trick can be tried anywhere, so it is worth passing on to relatives who might get such a call.
The sheriff's office did not say how many reports it has received or whether anyone has lost money. It also did not say who is behind the calls.
If a caller demands money for a jailed relative, hang up and call the sheriff's office directly at (918) 332-4000.
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