Candice Eagle knew her brother had been booked into the Lake County Jail. That made the voicemail harder to ignore.
A man claiming to be “Lt. James Preston” from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office left a message about an inmate, according to Cleveland 19.
Eagle, who is from Cleveland, had already missed calls from her brother and from the person posing as an officer. When she called back, the person on the line told her her brother’s bail was $1,000.
The caller said she could pay $500 through Cash App. When that payment was flagged as a scam, she tried Apple Pay. That payment went through.
The Scam Worked Because One Part Was True
Eagle’s brother really had been booked into jail. The voicemail sounded official, used a name and title, and referred to an inmate at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
“Hey this is Lt. James Preston here at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Calling in reference to an inmate we have here. If you could call me back and have a blessed day,” the voicemail said, according to Cleveland 19.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed to the station that no lieutenant named James Preston works there.
Cash App Flagged The First Payment
Eagle first tried to send the money through Cash App. She told Cleveland 19 the app immediately flagged the payment as a scam. She was still trying to help her brother, so she tried Apple Pay. The $500 payment went through.
The caller then asked for another $500. Eagle said the person claimed the first payment was for an ankle monitor and the second payment would get her brother released from jail. She did not send the second payment.
The Fake Officer Told Her To Drive To The Jail
When Eagle tried to get her money back, the person on the phone told her she would have to drive to the Lake County jail, according to Cleveland 19. When she refused, the person put her on hold and hung up. She tried calling the number back, but it had been disconnected.
Eagle then contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office directly. She was told it was a scam. She is now out $500, and Cleveland 19 reported there is no guarantee the money will be returned. She first has to report the charge to her bank, and any refund process could take weeks.
Bail Does Not Get Collected Through A Payment App
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office told Cleveland 19 that people will never get a call from the sheriff’s office or any police agency asking for bail money. The office said the inmate has to call directly and ask for help.
Anyone who gets a call like this can hang up and call the jail, sheriff’s office, or court through a number found on the agency’s official website. The number left in a voicemail, text, or payment-app message should not be used to verify the bond.
The U.S. Marshals Service and FBI have also warned that law enforcement will not ask people by phone for credit card numbers, debit card numbers, gift cards, wire transfers, bank routing numbers, or bitcoin deposits. The Federal Trade Commission says scammers often use a real or fake family emergency to push people into sending money before they can check the story.
If money has already been sent, the payment app and bank should be contacted right away. Screenshots of the voicemail, phone number, Cash App warning, Apple Pay transaction, payment username, timestamps, and any messages can help when filing a dispute or police report.