Caller asks for iTunes cards, not money in bail-payment scam
A caller trying to obtain a bail payment requested Apple iTunes cards instead of money, and claimed to be a member of the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office.
The office said Porterville resident Misty Ellis received that call Thursday around 8:30 a.m. and immediately reported it to authorities.
In a statement released Thursday, the office said it would never ask for bail payments, much less request iTunes cards as payment.
“The Sheriff’s Office does not arrange for bail payments and does not call people requesting bail,” the statement read.
The alleged scam artist was requesting bail for a relative of the victim. But Ellis realized the call was an attempted scam and nothing was exchanged.
Anyone with information on the attempted scam is asked to call the Tulare County Sheriff’s Department at 559-733-6218.
Cresencio Rodriguez-Delgado: 559-441-6304, @cres_guez
This story was originally published October 27, 2016 at 9:03 PM with the headline "Caller asks for iTunes cards, not money in bail-payment scam."