OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – A new scheme is targeting families of people behind bars in Osceola County.
A phone call that seems legitimate but is not is a tactic many people use to steal personal information or extort money.
“It happened in my family, a few years ago, like many years ago, where somebody called and said they had somebody kidnapped and they actually had their voice,” Danae Acosta shared with News 6.
Now, Osceola County Corrections is being used to confuse people. The facility has received reports of individuals contacting friends and families of those currently in custody — claiming to represent the jail.
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The people that call say a loved one can be bonded out, or that additional fees are required for release or GPS monitoring. They then request payment through apps such as Zelle, Venmo, Apple Pay or Cash App.
“I think that’s a pretty crazy scam, especially for everybody who has loved ones getting locked up, incarcerated,” Carey Davis said.
Acosta feels the best way to protect yourself is to not engage.
“When people call you to ask you for personal information — like your identification, your bank accounts — you can’t give any of that information because I know the IRS and certain government agencies will not ask you for that information. So you have to be so vigilant and be very careful not to give your information to people,” she said.
Osceola County Corrections will never call to request bond payments or fees. They also will never ask for payment through these platforms.
Any legitimate bonding or release information should be verified directly with the jail or through a licensed bonding agency.
If you receive a call like this, do not send money. Instead, report it to the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office.
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