TOCCOA, Ga. — The Stephens County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a scam targeting the families of inmates housed at the Stephens County Jail.
According to the sheriff’s office, scammers are obtaining personal information about inmates and impersonating jail sergeants to contact family members by phone. Callers reportedly claim they can arrange a pretrial diversion for an inmate in exchange for a substantial payment, promising the charges will be cleared once the diversion is completed.
The sheriff’s office said those claims are false.
Jail sergeants and staff do not have the authority to offer pretrial diversions, officials said. Any legitimate information about pretrial diversion programs would come directly from a district attorney’s office or a state solicitor’s office.
The sheriff’s office emphasized that jail employees will never call family members to request money in exchange for legal relief for an inmate.
Anyone who receives a call of this nature is urged not to send money and to report the incident to the Stephens County Sheriff’s Office at 706-886-2514 or to the nonemergency dispatch line at 706-779-3911.
