Minnesotans Are Being Targeted by a New Bail Scam – Here’s What To Know

Another day, another scam. Thankfully, we are all used to scams by now, right? However, it appears there always is one popping up and because they are becoming more sophisticated, it can be hard to spot what is real and what isn't.

Certain scams are usually easy to spot, like when a scammer asks you to take out a wad of cash and meet them in person or something of that nature. Others, not so much.

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When it comes to things like jury duty and your property and such, I think those scams are easier to fall for. If you don't know exactly how the court system works or if you are a new homeowner, you might not be entirely versed on everything, making scams easier to fall for.

The newest scam circulating in our neck of the woods has to do with public defense and I can see how people could fall for it!

Artur

Minnesota Board Of Public Defense Warns Of New Scam

Minnesotans, watch out. The Minnesota Board Of Public Defense took to social media a few days ago to share a warning to those it may concern. According to their post, there is a new bail scam that is targeting families of people in custody in the state.

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It begins with a scammer calling a family member of someone being held in the jail, telling them there was an 'update' to their case. Because scammers know some personal information and know enough to call real family members, that makes this one tricky.

From there, scammers tell the person who answered the phone that if they pay a fee over the phone, their loved one will be released from jail immediately. Things to look out for: the scammer mentioning direct payment of bail or bond fees, or payment to qualify for electronic home monitoring.

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As always, you should never send anyone money over the phone. If you get a call like this and something seems fishy, it probably is! Remember that bail and monitoring fees are not collected over the phone. Take a minute and call the jail directly.

It takes just a minute to see if something is real or not - and saves you a lot of heartache in the long run.

anurakpong