The Yancey County Sheriff’s Office is alerting the public about a recent scam targeting families of individuals incarcerated at the Yancey County Detention Center. Scammers are falsely claiming to represent the Detention Center and are attempting to extort money from victims by offering fake ankle monitoring services for inmates.
The scammers are contacting family members, claiming that their loved one must pay for an ankle monitor as a condition for release. These calls are fraudulent, and the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office wants to emphasize that the Yancey Sheriff’s does not provide or require ankle monitoring services for inmates.
Sheriff Shane Hilliard stated, “This is a concerning scam, and we want to make it clear that the Yancey County Sheriff’s Office does not engage in any form of ankle monitoring services. If anyone receives a call claiming to be from the Detention Center or Sheriff’s Office requesting money for such services, please do not provide any personal information or funds. The Sheriff’s Office encourages all residents and family members to remain vigilant and report any suspicious calls to local authorities.
Additionally, it is important to remember that government officials will never demand money over the phone, and any legitimate legal or detention-related fees will be communicated through official channels in writing.
