The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office is alerting the community to a recent scam involving fraudulent requests for bail payments.
The Sheriff’s Office has received reports that scammers are monitoring publicly available information on the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office website, specifically the names of individuals currently in custody at the Washoe County Detention Facility. These scammers, through their own methods, obtain contact information for family members or associates of the inmate.
In these cases, scammers contact family members and claim that, in exchange for a specified payment, they can secure the release or “bail” of the individual in custody. Because the suspect’s custody status can be verified publicly, the request may appear legitimate and convincing.
The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office does not provide family member contact information to the public. This information is obtained by scammers through independent means. Additionally, Sheriff’s Office staff will never contact individuals directly to request bail payments.
In this scam, fraudsters request payment through platforms such as Venmo, Cash App, Bitcoin, or other digital payment methods. These are significant red flags and are commonly used in fraudulent schemes.
Legitimate bail payments are only accepted through the following methods:
• U.S. currency
• Certified or cashier’s checks drawn on U.S. banks
• Postal money orders (with the amount typed or stamped)
• Bonds posted by licensed and accepted bail agents (except for cash-only bails and fines)
Bail may also be posted through the official AllPaid online portal, which can be accessed directly through the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office website under the “Inmate Info” section.
The Sheriff’s Office urges the public to remain vigilant. If you receive a request for bail payment via a phone call, text, or email, or feel pressured to act quickly, do not send money. Instead, verify the information directly through official sources or contact the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office at 775-328-3001.
For additional information on the inmate release process, please visit the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Inmate Release Procedures page: Inmate Release Procedures.
