Bail Bond Scams Target Families in Ohio
No state appears to be safe from bail bond scams. The latest state to see increased occurrences of bail scams is Ohio. Scammers in Ohio are increasingly targeting families with fake calls claiming a loved one is in jail and needs immediate money for bail or additional fees such as an ankle monitor. In one case, Deneen Rodgers paid her daughter’s bail in Cuyahoga County, only to receive another call from someone posing as a police officer who demanded an extra $400. The scammer instructed her to go to Walgreens to load money onto a special card and send it, which she did before realizing she had been deceived.
In a recent news story on Spectrrum1 news, Michelle Zemla with the Ohio Bail Agents Association warns that these scams are happening across the state, with criminals using public jail information and, in some cases, AI to clone a relative’s voice to make the calls more convincing. They advise families never to send money through gift cards, apps or by scanning QR codes and instead to verify any claims directly with the jail or courts. Victims like Rodgers hope sharing their stories will help others avoid falling for the same schemes during stressful situations.
An excerpt from the story is below as well as a link to the full story.
OFFICERS WARN THE PUBLIC OF FAKE JAIL CALL SCAMS
May 11, 2026
BY SHEENA ELZIE CINCINNATI
CUYAHOGA COUNTY — There’s a warning for families across Ohio: scammers are targeting parents with fake calls claiming their loved one needs money to get out of jail, but there is something you can do to protect yourself.
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What You Need To Know
• A Cuyahoga County mother says someone posing as an officer told her the jail would hold her daughter longer unless she paid them money; it was a scam
• Officials with the Ohio Bail Agents Association say these scams are happening across the state, and some scammers are using AI to fake a relative’s voice
• Officials suggest never going to a store to get a special card to send money and double check with the courts if you’re unsure
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When Deneen Rodgers discovered her daughter was in jail, she took action.
“I would’ve did anything to get my daughter out. I didn’t want her to spend no time in jail,” said Rodgers.
