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Phone Scams from Jail
What
are phone scams from jail? Typically, these scams involve inmates who
want to use your long distance access to call someone outside of their
permitted calling area.
How it Works
You get a phone call (usually
collect) from a jail or prison. Thinking the worst, many people answer
these calls afraid that someone in their family or a friend might be in
trouble. After you answer the call, the inmate then pretends that they
mistakenly dialed the wrong number. They then plead with you to please
contact a loved one or friend because they can only make one phone
call, and really need your help. They provide you with a code and phone
number to call, but when you call the number, the phone rings and then
hangs up.
What the Victim
Doesn't Know
The "code" entered before the phone
number accesses an outside line and transfers the call to the inmate
(and whoever they're trying to reach).
This particular scam has several variations. Sometimes inmates pick a
number to call just to talk to someone. Other times, when you don't
accept the call, the inmate will continue calling your number
incessantly.
To protect yourself and your family, never accept a collect call from a
jail or prison. If you fear someone you know may be in trouble, call
the facility yourself to find out. If you do mistakenly answer one of
these calls, hang up immediately. Collect calls from jail are
expensive, and the dollars add up quickly.
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