(KIWA Staff Stock Photo)Rock Rapids, Iowa — The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office is warning area residents to be on alert for a telephone scam targeting family members of recently arrested individuals.
Lyon County Sheriff Brian Hilt reports that scammers are using online arrest records to target local families. Fraudsters monitor recent arrests online, look up contact information for potential relatives, and call them demanding immediate payment to cover a family member’s bail bond.
Sheriff Hilt stresses that legitimate bail bond companies do not operate this way or solicit payments by phone.
Authorities advise anyone receiving a call of this nature to hang up immediately and never provide payment information over the phone.
Residents who receive a suspicious call should ask for the caller’s name, phone number, and company, hang up, and then call the local jail directly to verify whether their relative is actually in custody and in need of bond money before making any financial arrangements.
