The Sheriff’s Office wants to warn you about a bail scam targeting community members.

Recently, scammers have been calling and claiming that a son, daughter, or other family member has been arrested and needs money immediately to be released from jail before arraignment. The goal is to create urgency, fear, and confusion so victims act quickly. Scammers exploit stress and emotions to persuade people to act in ways they would not normally.

To sound convincing, the caller may pose as jail staff, sometimes claiming to be a lieutenant, and may provide real personal details such as the family member’s name, date of birth, or charges. In some cases, the arrest information they reference may be publicly available, which they use to make the call seem legitimate. Scammers may even use the names of real Sheriff’s Office employees to appear credible.

The scammer will eventually demand immediate payment to “secure release,” often requesting payment through PayPal, Venmo, gift cards, or other electronic payment methods.

This is a scam. Just hang up!

Law enforcement agencies do not call families to request bail payments and the Clackamas County Jail does not accept PayPal, Venmo, gift cards, or similar payments for bail or release.

Common red flags of a bail scam include:

An unexpected call claiming a loved one has been arrested
High-pressure demands for immediate payment
Requests for payment over the phone or through electronic apps
The caller discourages you from contacting anyone else
Use of personal or arrest details to appear credible

If you receive a call like this, just hang up. Do not send money, do not provide personal information, and do not stay on the line.

Verify the information using a trusted, official contact number.

The Sheriff’s Office also wants to remind everyone that scammers frequently impersonate law enforcement and government agencies in other ways, including fake calls about outstanding warrants, missed jury duty, or threats of immediate arrest unless payment is made. These scams follow the same pattern, urgency, fear, and demands for immediate payment.

If you receive a call demanding payment while claiming to be from a law enforcement agency, it is a scam, even if the caller ID appears to show a legitimate agency number. Scammers can spoof phone numbers to make the call look official.

Do not engage, do not provide any information, and do not send money. Just hang up.

If you are concerned the call may be legitimate, contact the agency directly using a verified, official phone number, not the number that called you.

In Clackamas County, the official phone numbers are:

Clackamas County Circuit Court: 503-655-8447

Clackamas County Jail: 503-722-6777

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office: 503-785-5000

Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Hotline: 503-785-5210

Non-emergency: 503-655-8211 (Clackamas County Department of Communications)

Non-emergency: 503-635-0238 (Lake Oswego Communications serving Lake Oswego, West Linn, and Milwaukie Police Departments, as well as the Lake Oswego Fire Department)

Canby Police Department: 503-266-1104

Gladstone Police Department: 503-557-2797

Happy Valley Police Department: 503-760-0123

Lake Oswego Police Department: 503-635-0250 (Police Records)

Milwaukie Police: 503-786-7500

Molalla Police Department: 503-829-8817

Oregon City Police Department: 503-905-3501

Sandy Police Department: 503-668-5566

West Linn Police Department: 503-655-6214

Wilsonville Police Department: 503-682-1012

Source: Clackamas County Sheriff's Office

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