BATON ROUGE, La. — In Louisiana, scammers are targeting families of incarcerated individuals by masquerading as bail bondsmen or law enforcement, offering fraudulent bail release services and ankle monitor requirements. Victims John and Ann—names changed for their protection—recently shared their experiences with what authorities describe as emotionally manipulative scams unfilteredwithkiran.com.

Misleading Bail Bond Calls

John received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to work for a legitimate agency, On Time Bail Bonds, and falsely asserted they could release his loved one without John having to visit the jail. When John attempted to pay via Zelle, the transaction was flagged as fraudulent. The scammer made three such attempts with different names, followed by a failed Cash App attempt https://www.wafb.com.

Dubious Ankle Monitor Claims

Ann, meanwhile, received a call from someone identifying himself as “Sergeant Stephen Brown.” He alleged her relative needed to purchase an ankle monitor—priced at $989.89—which he said could be bought via PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, and was refundable after court. Ann, wanting her loved one processed out of jail, nearly complied unfilteredwithkiran.com.

A Successful Scam—and Realization

John eventually proceeded to a CoinFlip kiosk (a Bitcoin ATM), inserted money using a QR code provided by the scammer, and transferred $760. Minutes later, the scammer called again, insisting on an additional $632 for an ankle monitor. Alarmed by the incorrect terminology—calling it a “county jail” rather than a “parish jail”—John grew suspicious. He reported the incident to the Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, which coordinated with the state police and FBI. Investigators traced the suspect to Lagos, Nigeria; some funds were recovered, and an international arrest warrant may follow unfilteredwithkiran.com.

Averted Scam in Time

Ann did not send any money. When the first PayPal attempt failed, the scammer provided a different account to try. She hung up and contacted Another Chance Bail Bonds, where agent Meg David confirmed the call was fraudulent. David even called the scammer posing as Ann and debunked his claims—exposing his false statement that Judge Balfour ordered the ankle monitor. In reality, Judge Balfour is a civil judge unrelated to criminal cases, and David had already posted the bond earlier that day. She instructed the scammer to cease contacting Ann unfilteredwithkiran.com.

Broader Warning and Recommendations

While scams involving fake bail bonds are known, David said Ann’s was the first ankle monitor–related fraud she had encountered. Protective advice from experts includes:

• Only dealing with licensed and reputable bail bond companies.

• Seeking referrals from trusted individuals.

• Checking credentials through the Better Business Bureau.

• Avoiding payments to unknown or unsolicited parties WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta+1.

Emotional Toll

These scams prey on families during deeply stressful times. “You’re already traumatized … then they’re trying to kind of get you again,” Ann said. John agreed, highlighting how authorities and livelihoods are at stake in such situations unfilteredwithkiran.com.

What to Do If You’re Targeted

The FBI urges anyone suspecting they’ve been targeted to report the activity via IC3.gov or by calling 1‑800‑CALL‑FBI unfilteredwithkiran.com.

Source: Allyson Bird, Unfiltered with Kiran, “Fake bail bonds and ankle monitors | Scammers preying on families at their weakest,” published August 19, 2025 unfilteredwithkiran.com+1.