In most instances it isn’t a very good idea to accept collect calls from jail. Except if you personally know the caller and have talked over these kinds of arrangements beforehand you could possibly end up a victim of a telephone scam or identity theft.
This frequent scam is being used from different penal institutions throughout the country. The unknown caller will ask an operator to dial the number and make the call. After the homeowner answers the operator is going to ask the person if they will accept the call.
Quite often the caller is hoping to catch the homeowner off guard. Lots of people might be ripped off when they know someone in prison and incorrectly believe the caller is an individual they know. When the phone call is approved the caller then is aware the number is legitimate. Quite often numbers are called randomly in the hopes of reaching an unsuspicious individual at home.
Once the call is accepted the caller could then ask for a certain person then may afterwards beg off stating the number was dialed in error. Meanwhile the person who answers might have given the caller a name and possibly an address. With this information the caller can then make use of the phone number to charge several calls from prison.
Though telephone companies are familiar with the scam of collect calls from jail they might not catch many phone calls charged to the same number until it’s too late. By then many thousands of dollars in telephone calls may be charged to your telephone account. In some instances the calls might be to a person on the outside who’s helping to plan some kind of criminal activity. Most people will not want their telephone number connected with this kind of activity.
If a homeowner gets a phone call and the operator is asking about agreeing to the charges it is always best to say no if in doubt. You may inquire about exactly where the call is originating from and who is calling in the event that such information isn’t offered. Write the details down and refuse to accept the call. You can then call local authorities or even the state Attorney General to report the incident. Despite the fact that others could have reported the same information each complaint contributes weight to the case.
Collect calls from jail could be legitimate but there are a lot less costly alternatives for individuals incarcerated to make telephone calls home to friends and family. Many calling card suppliers give special prices for people in jail. Family members could mail these cards which will last from one to a few months, based on the monetary amount. Never agree to collect calls from jail from an individual you don’t know.
Are you looking for a legitimate way for making collect calls from inmates? Be sure to visit Easy Jail Call for tips on making cheap inmate calls.