DALLAS COUNTY, Texas - The Dallas County Sheriff's Office is warning the public about an ongoing phone scam targeting friends and family members of individuals incarcerated in the Dallas County Jail.
Dallas County Jail scam
What we know:
According to authorities, fraudsters are contacting relatives of inmates and claiming the individual is eligible for early release or placement on electronic monitoring due to jail overcrowding. The callers then demand immediate payment for bond, monitoring fees, or release costs.
To build credibility, the scammers frequently scrape publicly available jail records and social media to reference real inmates by name. They may also spoof caller ID numbers to appear as though the call originates from a law enforcement office or impersonate specific sheriff's office personnel.
Sheriff's officials emphasized that the department will never call to demand payment over the phone or request funds through gift cards, wire transfers, or payment apps such as Venmo, Zelle, Cash App, or cryptocurrency.
Legitimate bond details and release procedures are handled strictly through the court system or licensed bail bond agencies, not unsolicited phone calls.
What you can do:
Authorities advise anyone who receives a suspicious call to hang up immediately without disclosing personal or financial information. Individuals wishing to verify the status of an inmate can contact Dallas County Jail Information directly at 214-597-1119 using an officially verified phone number.
Anyone who has fallen victim to the scheme is urged to contact their local law enforcement agency. Unincorporated Dallas County residents can report incidents to the Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 214-749-8641.
The Source: Information in this article is from the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.