09/15/2026
🚨 SCAM ALERT🚨
The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public about a scam targeting the family members of individuals who have recently been arrested and are reportedly incarcerated.
In this scam, individuals are monitoring recent arrests and identifying family members of people who were arrested that day. The scammers may contact the family before they are even aware that their loved one has been arrested.
The scammer will then claim that the family member is in jail and needs money immediately in order to be released.
Another version of the scam involves the caller claiming that, if the family pays the bond directly to the Sheriff’s Office, their loved one will be released on pretrial release with an ankle monitor. The caller may specifically instruct the victim not to go through a bond office and instead send money directly to the Sheriff’s Office. This is a scam.
⚠️ Do not send money, wire funds, or provide financial information to someone who contacts you unexpectedly claiming to be able to secure the release of a loved one.
If you receive a call like this:
• Stop and verify the information before taking any action.
• Do not provide personal or financial information.
• Do not wire money or send payment based solely on a phone call.
• Contact the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office directly using an official phone number to verify the status of your loved one and determine the legitimate procedures for bond or release.
• If the caller pressures you to act immediately or tells you to bypass normal procedures, that is a major red flag.
Please share this information with your family and friends. These scammers are taking advantage of families during an extremely stressful and vulnerable time.
When in doubt, stop and verify before sending money.
