Roswell-area families with a relative booked into the Fulton County Jail should watch for phone calls from scammers posing as bail agents and demanding immediate cash.

The Fulton County Sheriff's Office issued the alert Monday, Sept. 21, on social media, warning that callers are impersonating bond company representatives and pressuring families to pay for a defendant's release. The office urged anyone who receives such a call to hang up, verify the inmate's status through official channels and report the contact.

The scam relies on a narrow window. According to 11Alive, someone claiming to represent a bond company calls contacts listed during intake, reaching families before the defendant has had a chance to make a first phone call. The caller then demands immediate payment.

The timing is deliberate. Families who have not yet heard from a jailed relative are more likely to panic and send money.

This is not the first phone scam to hit the Roswell area in recent months. On July 20, the Roswell Police Department warned on X that callers were impersonating officers and demanding money for warrant payments or fines. Roswell police noted that no city court accepts payment in bitcoin or gift cards.

Sheriff Pat Labat's office said residents who receive a suspicious call should hang up immediately. They can verify an inmate's custody status and bond information through the FCSO's jail information page, or by calling (404) 613-2002 or (404) 662-3516. The Main Jail front desk at 901 Rice St. NW in Atlanta is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The FCSO website at fcsoga.org includes a "Report A Scam" link on its homepage. Residents can also reach the sheriff's office at (404) 612-5100 or by email at [email protected].

Anyone who believes they were targeted can file a report through the FCSO website or visit the Main Jail front desk at any hour.