Beware of Bail Scams in Orlando, Florida

Bail bond scams are a lucrative business for the scam artists. When you have a loved one in jail, you can run the gamut of emotions including being upset, panicked, or angry. Bail bond scammers prey on people who are emotionally distraught, who are scared, stressed or who are confused. They depend on these emotions to help them get what they want, which is your money!  33rd Street Bail Bonds wants you to be aware of these scams and the tactics that the scam artists are using to get you to part with your money.

Scam artists are becoming more and more adept at using technology such as AI (artificial intelligence) to help persuade you that their case is real and legitimate. Don’t fall for it.

Here are a few examples of common bail bond scams:
• “The Fake” – This is where the scam artist calls and claims that your loved one is in jail and needs money to get out. The scary part is that these thieves are now using AI to impersonate your loved one’s voice so that you think they are actually behind bars.
• “Using Public Records to Reinforce Their Claim” – Once a person is arrested, the inmate information becomes public record. The scam artists use this information to appear legitimate. They can specify your loved one’s name, the booking number, and the charges.
• “Offering A Discount” – Other scam artists will call and pretend to be a bail bond agency offering bail bonds for cheap.
• “Impersonating a Bail Bond Agency” – This is where the scammers pretend to be bail bondsmen. They are sophisticated and will have spoofed the phone number of the legitimate bail bond agency. When they call, they will request that it is urgent that you pay them now. They want payment via gift cards, a cash app, or cryptocurrency.
• “Identity Theft” – These scam artists will get you to part with sensitive information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and social security numbers so that they can use the “information to process the bond for your loved one”. In reality, they are stealing your personal information

As you can see, there are quite a few bail bond scams out there and that’s only a sample. The scam artists come up with new ones every day in order to try and get you to pay them.

What to look for to recognize a scam and how to protect yourself:
• Police officers and clerk of courts will never call you to ask for money. They will not pressure you into responding immediately in order to avoid something happening to your loved one
• Information about your loved one being arrested is public record. Just because someone calls you and knows the information does not mean that they are who they claim to be. Verify the information by taking their name, the name of the bail bond agency or jail that they are calling from, then hang up and verify the information for yourself
• There are no “discounts” on bail. Bail bond amounts are set by Florida law. Typically, the bail bond amount required is 10% of the total bond amount
• A licensed and insured bail bond agency will only accept standard payment methods such as check, credit cards, or wired money from a bank.
• Do not share personal information over the phone with someone who contacted you. Do not be bullied into sharing this information.
A licensed and reputable bail bond agency has a physical location that you can visit. They are usually located near a jail. The bail bond agency will provide you with their license number so that you can verify it. If someone calls and refuses to provide you with this information, hang up.

In a nutshell, protect yourself by:
• Verifying that your loved one has been arrested by calling the jail yourself
• Contact a bail bond agency through the phone number on their website, ask for the license number and then verify their license by checking with the Florida Department of Financial Services
• Get a contract in writing before parting with your money

33rd Street Bail Bonds wants to make you aware of bail bond scams. Our bail bond agency is family owned and operated. We have been serving Central Florida since 1971 and are the oldest bail bonding agency in Central Florida. Our experience and knowledge mean that your loved one is in good hands during a stressful experience. Our bail bond agents will walk your loved one through the bail bond process and explain all of the steps involved.

We have bonded clients out of jail for numerous charges including DUI, BUI, domestic violence, theft, assault, battery, drug possession, reckless driving, and more. We can help you too! Your neighbors in Seminole, Orange, Lake, Osceola, and Volusia Counties have counted on us in their time of need and you can too! Call us today at 407-425-3303 to start the bail bond process.