“Taking advantage of vulnerable people, I think everyone can agree is wrong,” said attorney Robert Abtahi who is trying to raise awareness about the scam.
DALLAS — For almost every person in the Dallas County jail, someone is desperate to get them out.
Scammers thrive on desperation – it is an opportunity for them. And Dallas criminal defense attorney Robert Abtahi is tired of seeing people exploited.
“Taking advantage of vulnerable people, I think everyone can agree is wrong,” he said.
He first got wind of a scam involving the Dallas County Jail from a woman who thought she’d given money to a bail bondsman to get her loved one out of jail. She’d sent the man who called her hundreds of dollars through a payment app, she told Abtahi.
“I had to break the news to her that that money was gone, that she’d gotten scammed,” he said.
Then the calls kept coming.
He’s now heard from about 10 people who either fell victim or almost did.
And it’s happening so often, Dallas County’s Pretrial Services Department just added a warning to its website.
“Dallas County bonds are posted in person only,” reads the alert, “either through a legitimate bail bond company or at the Dallas County Bond Desk. Never pay using CashApp, money wires, or gift cards.”
The county told WFAA it added the information after seeing an uptick in victims in the last couple of weeks. The scammer could be using jail records, which are public, to find names of inmates.
A quick search of social media or Google can lead them to potential relatives and maybe even phone numbers.
One woman who almost fell victim told WFAA the scammer claimed he could get her husband out of jail if she just put money on a Walmart gift card. She said he kept telling her it was urgent and she needed to stay on the phone with him while inside Walmart.
Her gut instincts kicked in, and she is relieved she didn’t follow his orders.
Dallas County said it’s important to use their number, 214-875-2302, and call them to verify a bond amount.
“If someone is calling you, that’s huge red flag number one,” Abtahi said. “Number two, if someone is telling you to go buy gift cards, make a payment online without paperwork, without a reputable site, that’s a huge red flag.”
Abtahi has posted warnings on social media and his Texas Defenders website.
He’s hoping to keep more people from falling victim. He even got on a call with the scammer and identified himself as an attorney,
“And the guy still kept up with the scam,” Abtahi said. “If this guy is so brazen to give me his number, to talk to me as if I’m a dummy, they feel like they’re untouchable. And that’s scary.”