BCSO Issues Urgent Warning: Jail Bonding Scams Targeting Bonneville County
 BONNEVILLE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is sounding the alarm following a surge in reports of jail inmate bonding scams targeting the area. This warning comes just days after the Idaho Attorney General’s office flagged the scheme as a growing threat to local families with loved ones in jail.
According to the AG's Office, scammers are harvesting names from public jail rosters to identify potential targets. In the greater Idaho Falls area, the scammers have been identifying themselves as sheriff's deputies, court officials, or a bonding entity. BCSO says the scammers then convince victims to pay money over the phone for their friend or family to be released from jail.
The Sheriff's Office is reminding residents that law enforcement and jails will never solicit money over the phone for the bonding process. Also, legitimate government agencies will never accept payment in the form of cryptocurrency, money card, gift card, or online transaction.
"Instructions of this nature by scammers is ALWAYS a tell-tale sign of a scam, not just scams of this nature but also scams related to jury duty, missing court dates, or paying fines to avoid arrest or criminal charges," said BCSO Sgt. Bryan Lovell in a press release.
If you get a call like this, hang up and contact the jail directly. To report a scam, click HERE.
