A Mississippi sheriff says scammers posing as "Pre-Trial Services" are calling inmates' families and charging fees for releases that never happen.
The Harrison County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi says scammers are calling families of people in jail and offering to get them out for a fee. The callers claim to be "Pre-Trial Services." They say the inmate can go home with an ankle monitor, a device worn on the leg that tracks where a person is. Families who pay find out their loved one is still locked up.
Officials say the scammers often know the inmate's charges and details about family members. That can make a call feel official, especially when a family is scared and wants answers. The sheriff's office says it has received multiple reports. The calls involve the Harrison County Adult Detention Center.
Families and friends of people held at that jail are the main targets. If that is not your situation, you can relax for now. The report covers only this county. Still, the pattern is worth remembering: a well-informed caller who asks for quick payment is a warning sign.
Sheriff Matt Haley says his office will never call and ask for payment by phone or through money transfer apps, which let people send cash from a phone. Money sent that way is hard to get back. The steps in the alert box above explain how to check a call and where to report one.
The report does not say how many families have paid or how much money was lost. It also does not say how the scammers get their information. The scams are under investigation, and the sheriff's office asks anyone with information to call 228-897-1364.
If a caller offers to free an inmate for a fee, hang up and check with the sheriff's office before sending any money.
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