BOISE, Idaho — A growing scam is targeting families when they're most vulnerable — right after a loved one gets arrested.
Scammers are stealing thousands of dollars by impersonating law enforcement and bail bondsmen, preying on people who don't understand the bail process.
According to the ACLU, the for-profit bail bond system in the U.S. is estimated to make more than $2 billion in profit annually. With that much money at stake, criminals are finding ways to exploit the system and steal from desperate families.
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"You don't know how to go about this. You know you don't know how to do bail. You don't know how to pay bond," said Jacob, who recently lost $900 to scammers after a loved one was arrested. He asked that his identity not be revealed, but wanted to warn others about the scheme.
"Everybody is pretty vulnerable in this state when in the middle of trying to be released from jail," says Danielle Kingston with A+ Idaho Bail Bonds. She's witnessed an alarming rise in these scams, which are costing victims thousands of dollars.
The scam works by criminals accessing arrest records and other details online, then calling the arrestee's family members.
"They're impersonating law enforcement, bail bondsmen — they're basically explaining that they need to pay additional funds," Kingston said.
"The amount of information they had was unprecedented, truly, " says Jacob, "It seems they have the upper hand in technology to go ahead and gather the information that they do."
Kingston believes scammers are getting information from public databases that show new inmates housed in specific jails.
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Jacob said he was initially suspicious and wanted to deliver the money in person, but the scammers were prepared for that objection. "They're using COVID, at least in my case, to say hey you can't come down," Jacob added.
Both Kingston and Jacob offer the same advice to families facing this situation.
"Call police, call local bondsman you're talking to, but don't send the funds," Kingston said.
"The jail will never call you to collect bond whatsoever; it's done at the courts," Jacob said.
Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador recently issued a statement warning about bail bond scams, advising people not to fall for pressure tactics over the phone. His office recommends hanging up and calling the jail directly to verify any requests for money.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
