Scammers deceive Tom Green County inmate relatives with fake releases
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage)—On April 15, the Tom Green County Sheriff's Office warned the community about a scam targeting family members of individuals incarcerated in the Tom Green County Detention Center.
According to the sheriff's office, inmates' relatives are being contacted by scammers who falsely claim that there is overcrowding at the jail. Due to this issue, scammers tell family members that their loved one is eligible for release and can wear a GPS boot. However, this can only be done if a bond payment is made immediately.
TGSO shared that scam callers frequently request payment through gift cards, a wire transfer or other non-traceable methods. Scammers often use public information to sound credible and may spoof the caller ID to make it look as if it is a government number.
'The Tom Green County Sheriff's Office does not solicit or accept payment over the phone for inmate release under any circumstances. If you receive such a call, it is a scam. Hang up and report it immediately.'
If you or someone you know has been targeted by this scam, the sheriff's office urges you to make a report by calling their office at (325) 655-8111.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Geek Wire
4 days ago
- Geek Wire
Seattle lawmakers approve GPS tracking tech for police pursuits
(GeekWire File Photo) The Seattle City Council voted 8-1 on Tuesday to authorize the Seattle Police Department's use of GPS tracking devices designed to reduce dangerous high-speed police chases. The approval of CB 120994 comes amid questions about the technology's effectiveness and concerns about expanding surveillance capabilities. The system, built by Virginia-based StarChase, uses compressed-air launchers mounted on police vehicles to fire battery-powered GPS tracking projectiles onto suspect vehicles during pursuits, theoretically enabling them to monitor the suspect's location remotely. The technology is being funded through a $250,000 state grant that will cover installation on 25 SPD vehicles and a two-year software subscription. Other police departments around Washington state and the U.S. have tested StarChase with varying levels of success. Last year the Oakland Police Department said it would stop using the technology. Privacy advocates, meanwhile, say the technology expands police power and could 'enable warrantless surveillance,' according to a statement from ACLU of Washington, as reported by The Urbanist. ACLU also said it was concerned about sharing of data and people's privacy. The bill describes the system's use as limited to vehicles where 'probable cause or reasonable suspicion of involvement in a crime has been established.' The new law comes as Washington state has significantly loosened restrictions on police pursuits. Lawmakers last year passed Initiative 2113, which allows officers to chase suspects based on 'reasonable suspicion' of any crime, dramatically expanding from previous laws that limited pursuits to serious violent offenses. 'This could be an incredible move forward for our city in terms of public safety, because of the importance of the issue of pursuit,' councilmember Bob Kettle, who sponsored the legislation, said during Tuesday's meeting. Police pursuits have become an increasingly urgent public safety concern nationwide. A San Francisco Chronicle investigation last year found that police chases kill nearly two people a day in the U.S., while 551 bystanders were killed in chases from 2017 to 2022. 'This is about bringing a comprehensive approach to what we're doing,' Kettle said, noting the system would integrate with SPD's new Real Time Crime Center. SPD uses various other technology including automated license plate readers and CCTV cameras. A push from Mayor Bruce Harrell to implement controversial gunshot detection tech didn't move forward last year.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Oil tankers near Iran appear to be in rural Russia as signals jammed
By Anna Hirtenstein LONDON (Reuters) -The Front Tyne oil tanker was sailing through the Gulf between Iran and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday when just past 9:40 a.m. shiptracking data appeared to show the massive vessel in Russia, in fields better known for barley and sugar beets. By 4:15 p.m., the ship's erratic signals indicated it was in southern Iran near the town of Bidkhun, before later placing it back and forth across the Gulf. Mass interference since the start of the conflict between Israel and Iran has affected nearly 1,000 ships in the Gulf, according to Windward, a shipping analysis firm. A collision involving tankers south of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping lane for the world's oil, occurred on Tuesday with both vessels catching fire. One of them, the Front Eagle, a sister ship of the Front Tyne, and like it, more than three football pitches long, appeared to be onshore in Iran on June 15, data from commodity data platform Kpler showed. "There is usually no jamming in the Strait of Hormuz and now there is a lot,' said Ami Daniel, chief executive of Windward. "The culmination of all that is higher risk. It's a hot area... if you don't geolocate, there's a bigger chance you'll have an accident." Ships are required to indicate their location and are fitted with transmitters similar to GPS called an AIS, or Automatic Identification System, that send regular signals on location, speed and other data. Jamming disrupts these signals. "The problem these days is that most ships use digitised systems, so if your GPS is jammed, then you have no real form of navigating other than by the seat of your pants," said Jim Scorer, secretary general of International Federation of Shipmasters' Associations. If a ship's crew intentionally disrupts its signalling, it is called spoofing, and may indicate illegal conduct, such as an effort to conceal a cargo or destination. If a third party disrupts signals, as is happening in the Gulf, it is referred to as jamming, according to Dimitris Ampatzidis, an analyst at Kpler. The practice has become increasingly common in conflict areas, as some militaries seek to obscure the location of navy vessels or other potential targets. Jamming has been observed in the Black Sea during Russian attacks on Ukrainian ports, in the Taiwan Strait and in waters near Syria and Israel, analysts said. Several ships appeared to be on land at Port Sudan last month. "If you don't know where vessels are, you're unable to target them," said Ampatzidis. International Maritime Organization, along with other United Nations agencies, issued a statement in March expressing concern over rising cases of interference in global navigation. The oil tanker Xi Wang Mu, which was placed under U.S. sanctions, appeared to be at a Hindu temple in India earlier this year when it spoofed its location, according to analysis by maritime data platform Lloyd's List Intelligence.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Yahoo
Driver runs red light, sparks midday crash in downtown San Angelo
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — A driver was cited for running a red light Friday afternoon, leading to a minor two-vehicle crash at the intersection of South Irving Street and West Twohig Avenue, according to San Angelo Police. Authorities say a GMC Sierra was traveling east on West Twohig when the driver failed to stop at a red light and collided with a northbound Ford F-250 on South Irving. UPDATE: Neighborhood church that was destroyed by storms is starting to rebuild Each vehicle had one occupant, and no injuries were reported. The driver of the GMC Sierra was cited at the scene for disregarding the traffic signal. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
