Scammers are ruthless and often target people during emotional and stressful situations. One of the most common and damaging schemes is the grandparent scam, where a scammer pretends to be a grandchild who has been arrested and urgently needs bail money.
In these calls, the “grandchild” often sounds panicked and calls from a noisy location to disguise their voice. In some cases, a second scammer poses as a law enforcement officer and explains how payment must be made. Scammers often have just enough personal information—frequently gathered from social media or data breaches—to make the story sound believable. Sometimes, they simply call random numbers until someone who sounds like an older adult answers and says something like, “Hi Grandma, it’s your grandson,” allowing the victim to fill in the details.
How Bail Bond Scams Typically Work
Once the victim is convinced, the scammer requests immediate payment. This may include:
Wire transfers
Credit card or bank account information
Gift cards from retailers such as Walmart, Target, or Best Buy
After the funds are transferred or the gift card numbers are provided, the scammer disappears.
Another growing scam involves someone claiming to be a law enforcement officer with a warrant for the arrest of you or a loved one. The caller says the situation can be resolved by paying bail or fees over the phone—or, for a higher amount, by dropping the charges entirely.
In a similar scheme, scammers pose as bail bondsmen and contact individuals who have already posted bail. They claim additional fees are owed and threaten that the defendant will be returned to jail if payment is not made. These scams can be convincing because the scammers sometimes have accurate information about recent arrests, possibly obtained through compromised computer systems.
How to Protect Yourself From Bail Bond Scams
The best defense against any scam is skepticism. If you receive a suspicious call, gather as much information as possible and tell the caller you will return the call. Often, this alone is enough to stop the scam.
If a caller claims a loved one is in jail:
Contact the loved one directly
Call another family member or close friend to verify the situation
Contact the jail directly to confirm whether an arrest has occurred
Never wire money or provide payment information until you have verified the request with an independent and trusted source. If the call claims to be from law enforcement or a bail bondsman, look up the official phone number and call them directly.
Never share credit card numbers, bank account information, or personal details over the phone without verification.
A legitimate bail bondsman will not meet clients in parking lots, restaurants, or temporary locations. Licensed bail bondsmen conduct business from a permanent, professional office. Requests to meet elsewhere should be considered a serious warning sign.
What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted
If you have wired money, contact the wire transfer company immediately—there may still be time to stop or reverse the transaction. If you receive a suspicious call claiming to be from your bail bondsman, hang up and contact them directly using a verified number.
You should also report scams to:
Your local police department
The Federal Trade Commission
Scammers exploit fear and the desire to help loved ones. If you receive a call demanding urgent bail money, remember three words: verify, verify, verify.