How to Avoid Bail Bond Scams After an Arrest — Lake County, FL

The Lake County Sheriff's Office warns that scammers often pose as bail bondsmen or Sheriff's Office employees, contacting loved ones of someone who's just been arrested. The pitch follows a familiar script: pay bond money right now, or pay to make an arrest warrant "go away." One major red flag? How they want to be paid - usually gift cards or wire transfers.

These scams typically start with unsolicited contact. Someone reaches out claiming they can "handle" the bond or fix a warrant problem - if you pay immediately. They sound confident, use official-sounding language, and act like time is running out. That pressure is intentional. It's designed to make you skip verification. The Lake County Sheriff's Office specifically flags requests for gift cards or wire transfers as a common tactic. Those payment methods are nearly impossible to trace, making it easy for scammers to vanish with your money. If someone pushes you toward gift cards, asks you to wire money, or insists you can't call anyone back to confirm details - slow down. Treat it as a serious warning sign.

Lake County gives families a clear rule: no Sheriff's Office employee will ever contact anyone asking for money for an inmate. Ever. If someone calls or texts claiming to be with the Sheriff's Office and says you need to pay them for anything inmate-related, don't debate it. That's a hard stop. Hang up and verify through official, publicly listed channels.

1. Pause before you pay - if you were contacted first (call/text/social message), treat it as unverified.
2. Don’t trust the number that contacted you - caller ID and “spoofed” numbers can look real, and scammers will tell you which number to call back.
3. Look up a published business number - verify the identity of any bail bond representative by calling their business back at a published number.
4. Confirm who you spoke to before making arrangements - only discuss payment after you’ve independently reached a verified business line.

Lake County limits its online inmate search to name-only lookups - and the reason ties directly to these scams. The Sheriff's Office explains that publicly available arrest details can help scammers sound credible while they pressure families for money. That's why you may find less information online than you expect. The county intentionally restricts what's available to reduce what scammers can quickly pull and use to impersonate a bondsman or Sheriff's Office employee.

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• ✓ Do slow down and verify any bail bond representative by calling the business back at a published number before you send money.
• ✓ Don’t send bond or warrant-related payments by gift cards or wire transfer to someone who contacted you first.
• ✓ Do treat unsolicited “pay now” pressure as a red flag.
• ✓ Don’t believe anyone claiming to be a Sheriff’s Office employee asking you for inmate-related money - Lake County says that won’t happen.