Our office has received several notifications regarding a scam call or text currently going around the county.
The message is sent by an individual acting like they are a lieutenant or sergeant advising that a friend or family member is currently incarcerated, and that money is needed to be sent for their bond.
Other variations of the same message have been reported as well.
One example we recently heard about claims there is a Covid-19 outbreak in the jail and $1,400 will get their loved one out before they get sick.
What often makes the information more believable is that the scam appears to be targeting people who actually have a friend or family member incarcerated by law enforcement.
Scammers peruse public databases of jails to harvest names of people incarcerated, and with a little bit of social media searching, they find friends and family members of people who are in jail.
The calls are not always related to our local jail facilities. Some of the incarcerated people are in a facility in another county but they find your information and try to get you to pay over the phone or wire money to them.
Some calls are quite convincing, and many people are caught off guard. Many families of incarcerated individuals are already stressed by the fact that their loved one is in jail.
A call about their loved one’s health and safety often comes at a vulnerable time when there are many unfamiliar law enforcement activities happening in their lives.
Please don’t fall for these scams.
Above all, don’t provide personal financial information or send money over the phone.
Legitimate government agencies, courts or bail bondsmen will never call a family member demanding immediate payment via wire, courier, digital apps, bitcoin machines, etc.
Another tip for family members of incarcerated individuals is to create a secret family password or a specific personal question that only a legitimate family member would know to verify identity.
If you receive a call about your incarcerated loved one that doesn’t feel right, please call our office to verify information.
The Rock County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency phone number is 507-283-5000.
We would much rather help you avoid a scam than help you report a financial loss after you are scammed.
My direct email is matthew. sorenson@rockmn.gov.
