Protect Yourself From Court & Jail Scams
DO NOT FALL FOR THE FAKE CALL!
Download our Informational Flyer
Below is a text-friendly version of the flyer information that you can use with the built-in translation feature in most web browsers.
NEVER SEND MONEY OR GIVE OUT PERSONAL INFO
Government agencies will never contact you to make payments. Never provide your credit card, date of birth, or social security number.
YOU WILL NOT BE CONTACTED TO MAKE PAYMENTS
Nobody from the courts or law enforcement will ever demand immediate payment over the phone by wire transaction, let alone in cash, or use pay programs like GreenDot, Zelle, CashApp, Venmo, Paypal, or gift cards.
BEWARE OF FAKE OR SPOOF PHONE CALLS
Be extra careful when answering calls or texts from unknown numbers or unfamiliar persons. Scams can be “spoofed” to appear coming from an official number, even though the call originates from out of state or overseas.
WHEN IN DOUBT, HANG UP AND CALL THE AGENCY THEY ARE IMPERSONATING
WARNING: Public Defenders will never ask for money or any payment. Any money requests for freedom are likely a scam. Requests for court fines and fees can also be fraudulent, such as trying to scam money with fake notifications. Hang up and call your county court clerk to verify any outstanding fees or fines.
REPORT A SCAM
Remember, you’re not alone. If you receive a scam phone call, refuse the demand and reach out to your local law enforcement agency.
Or file a complaint with the FTC https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/
EXAMPLES OF REPORTED SCAMS IN DAVIDSON COUNTY, TN
There can be other variations of these scams that happen by mail. Be aware.
- Fraudulent callers threaten individuals on probation, demanding money to avoid re-arrest.
- You or a loved one receives a letter offering a 90-day program for early release from prison for a fee.
- A person sends a notice or calls claiming you missed jury duty, and you must pay a fine to avoid jail time.
- A person calls claiming to be a GPS company and asks for money to get a bracelet put on in order to be transported to a rehab facility or get released early.
- A person claiming to be a Bail bondsman calls for a “fee” to secure your loved one’s release.
- Someone calls posing as bondsmen and says a child or grandchild has been arrested and desperately needs to be bailed out.
- Someone calls, posing as a public defender, asking for bail money.
- The scammer advises family members that a public defender has worked out a great deal in which a DUI case is dismissed or the charges dropped if a relative pays for the vehicle’s damages.
- The scammer tells the family that the public defender has negotiated a deal allowing the case to be dismissed and the loved one to be released from custody. Then, they provide a way to pay restitution and where to send the money.
- Do not pay referral fees. Anyone can call or come to the public defender’s office to inquire about services.
MORE INFORMATION ON SCAMS
A common phone scam is when a resident (usually in another city) gets a call from someone claiming to be from this office. The caller tells that person that they have a loved one in jail here who needs their help to make bond. The scammer provides a fake name and phone number for the loved one’s “public defender,” and instructs the family member to call them. When the family member calls, someone pretending to be that “public defender” instructs the family member to wire money so a loved one can make bail. Sometimes the scam even involves a person crying, distraught, and pretending to be the person’s family member. This scam reoccurs periodically, and sometimes the caller will even claim to have a bar number or attorney number.
No public defender in Nashville (or anywhere else) will contact a member of the public by telephone or any other means demanding money via wire transfer or any other form of payment. THIS IS A SCAM, AND YOU SHOULD NOT RESPOND. Anyone receiving such a phone call should refuse the demand and contact their local law enforcement agency or file a report with the FTC,
Public Defender Offices in other states — including California, Missouri, and Ohio — have been the subject of similar scams. Information about those scams can be found here:
http://www.stlamerican.com/news/community_news/article_d257f5a2-5b1e-11e0-9ec9-001cc4c03286.html
http://www.sbcounty.gov/uploads/CAO/pressreleases/content/PR_Public_Defender_Scam_4-23-14.pdf
Please do not pay for a referral to our Office. People charging for legal referral information are also running scams. Nobody associated with our Office will ever charge a referral fee. Anyone can call our office to inquire about our services. We have Spanish speakers and other language translation services in our reception intake, 615-862-5730. A public defender never takes money from a client or charges for services. Even a court-appointed private attorney will not ask for money. And privately hired attorneys should be verified. Our Office will represent criminal charges in Davidson County. To practice law in TN, you must be licensed in TN. Anyone contacting you from another state or jurisdiction should be questioned if selling legal services.
NOTICE FROM JUVENILE COURT
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 5, 2023 Juvenile Court Warns Against Scam for Fake Court Fines Nashville, Davidson County, TN – The Davidson County Juvenile Court has recently become aware of a scam targeting individuals around the state regarding alleged court fines. It has been reported that individuals are receiving fraudulent notifications claiming to be the Davidson County District Court, under Judge Sheila Calloway, indicating that the recipient is to pay an indicated fine amount or be jailed. The indicated fine amount on one of these fake notifications was in excess of $3,000. This is not a document issued by the Davidson County Juvenile Court. The document does not contain the official court name, Juvenile Court, in any of the notices. However, the letter contains a misspelled version of the Davidson County Juvenile Court Judge’s name. Members of the public may call the Davidson County Juvenile Court Clerk’s Office at 615-862- 7980 to verify whether they have outstanding payment due to the court. Inability to pay Juvenile court fines will not result in confinement as indicated on the notification. ##