As telecommunication fraud continues to grow exponentially, with reported losses in 2022 of $530 million in Canada^[1] and nearly $40 billion in the United States^[2], it's never been more important to stay informed. There are several different types of spam calling and texting scams that have contributed to these losses. One particularly unsettling one is known as the bail bond scam.

Bail bond scams refer to scammers who pose as police officers or bondsmen, claiming that an inmate's bond will be revoked unless they send money directly to them. They target inmates, their families, and sometimes even police officers who are trying to protect them from reoffending. Because the phone numbers of bail bondsman clients are available through public records, this scam has unfortunately made inmates and their families easy and vulnerable targets.

In other cases, scammers may target senior citizens, claiming that a family member is in legal trouble and will be arrested unless they agree to pay them a certain amount of money.

Tips To Protect You From Bail Bond Scams

1. Remember that authentic bail bondsmen and police officers will never request or demand payments over the phone.
2. If a bondsman calls you, do some research and contact them directly to verify their identity before sending any money to them.
3. In general, never share personal financial information, wire money, or pay with a credit card over the phone. In regards to bondsmen specifically, never make a payment before a bail bonds contract has been presented and clearly explained.
4. If you cannot personally verify the person who is demanding that you wire them money over the phone, simply hang up.
5. If you receive a call from a supposed "law enforcement agent", hang up the phone, find the number of the law enforcement agency they claim to be from, and call them directly to verify their identity.
6. If you have been a victim or believe you have received a call from a Bail Bonds scammer, contact your local police and report it to the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) in the US, or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre in Canada.
7. Use Whois by SIPSTACK to check information of the phone number calling you.

How SIPSTACK Fights Fraud

Using the latest technology and machine learning, SIPSTACK's systems authenticate all activity in real time against variables that affect your security. When a carrier implements SIPSTACK's Smart CNAM, they are able to customize a threshold for calls to pass through, based on their specific needs. At SIPSTACK we take an active role in ensuring we are building a secure and connected tomorrow. Contact us today to learn how you can protect yourself from spam.

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