The Dunn County Sheriff’s Office would like the public to be aware of an ongoing scam involving
individuals impersonating bail bond agents and contacting family members of those arrested and/or
incarcerated. The individuals request money to cover bail and sometimes offer an “ankle monitor”
program.
This is not a legitimate process. Neither Bond Agents nor the Dunn County Sheriff’s Office will ever
contact families directly and request money for an ankle monitor or bail. These scams appear to be
circulating throughout the country within recent weeks, but we also have seen them occur locally, in
Dunn County.
Unfortunately, these scams are becoming more common. We’ve had individuals come in after sending
money, believing their loved one would be released from custody — only to find out they had been
scammed.
If you receive a suspicious call:
- DO NOT send money.
- Do not provide additional personal information, even if the caller seems to have your name,
birthdate, or phone number. - Contact your local law enforcement agency to inquire if it is a legitimate call or not.
- Remember that local jails will only accept bond payment directly, not through any of the electronic
means listed below.
Often, scammers will attempt the following: - They will try and keep you on the phone until you send the money. They don’t want you to be
able to contact your local jail or law enforcement agency to inquire about the call. - They will attempt to have you transfer money electronically through the purchase of prepaid cards
or system such as MoneyPak, Zelle, CashApp, Venmo, Paypal, and many others.
