Sheriff's office removes inmate data from website after fake bond calls
Callers posing as Davidson County Sheriff's Office staff asked families for payment by crypto, gift cards or apps. The office says it traced victims to information on its own website.
In short
- What happened?
- According to FOX 17, the Davidson County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee removed inmate and booking information from its website after scammers used it to call families, posing as staff and asking for bond payments.
- What was the warning sign?
- A caller claiming to be from a sheriff's office asks for payment by cryptocurrency, gift cards or a payment app, which the office says it never requests by phone.
- What can you do?
- Do not pay on an unexpected call. Hang up and check with the sheriff's office or jail on a number you look up yourself, and tell the bank or police if you have paid.
What happened
According to FOX 17 Nashville, the Davidson County Sheriff's Office (DCSO) in Tennessee has removed active inmate and recent booking information from its website after a phone scam. The office said there had been a rash of victims linked to bonds, and that it could trace the problem back to its own site. In its words, it was obvious scammers had automated a way to use the information against arrested people and their families.
On 8 October the DCSO posted a warning. Callers pose as DCSO employees and ask for payment by cryptocurrency, gift cards or mobile payment apps. The office says it never asks for payments over the phone. It said calls can be checked with the office or with the Metro Nashville Police Department, and that arrestee information can still be obtained through its 24-hour telephone line.
FOX 17 also reported that the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office warned on 10 October about a separate scam. A company calling itself 2nd Chance Bonding offered help getting an incarcerated loved one into rehab while falsely claiming to work for that office. The Rutherford County office said the company does not work for it.
Warning signs
- A caller says they are from a sheriff's office or jail and asks for money about a relative's arrest or bond.
- Payment is requested by cryptocurrency, gift cards or a mobile payment app.
- The caller already knows details about an arrest, which can make the call feel genuine.
- Someone offers a special programme or favour for an incarcerated relative and wants money or personal information first.
- You are pushed to act quickly and not to check with anyone.
What families can do
- Do not pay anything during an unexpected call. The DCSO says it never asks for payment by phone.
- Hang up and contact the sheriff's office or jail using a number you look up yourself, not one the caller gives you.
- Remember that a caller knowing real details does not prove they are genuine, as public records can be misused.
- Talk it over with another family member before sending money, even if the situation feels urgent.
- If you have paid, contact your bank or payment provider and report it to the police.
A family under stress can be caught by a call like this, however careful they usually are. QuietGuard's protection mode lets only the contacts you have named ring through and logs other calls in a quiet log to check later, which gives you a pause before deciding whether to call back. It cannot tell you whether a trusted contact's number has been misused, and it does not cover text messages or email, so checking by a number you find yourself still matters.
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