Scam Alert: Tulsa Police warn against inmate release scam

The Tulsa Police Financial Crimes Unit says it has seen a rise in scams involving the release of an inmate from jail.

The scammer will place a call stating that your loved one, family member, or friend is in jail. They will identify themselves as a jail staff member and say that your loved one can be released on bail if you “act immediately.”

The scammer will then say that the jail does not accept traditional payment methods and that you will have to deposit a large cash amount into a Bitcoin kiosk. They may send you a fake QR code that appears to come from the jail.

The criminal tries to lend legitimacy to the scam because they are likely targeting victims who have a loved one or family member who has recently been arrested and is, in fact, in jail.

To bond someone out of jail, you can either pay the bond amount in cash at David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center, located at 300 N. Denver Ave., or use a licensed bail bondsman for a surety bond. The David L. Moss Criminal Justice Center will never ask you to place money into a Bitcoin kiosk for the release of an inmate.