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Jailhouse Phone Scam The
Wise County sheriff’s Department received a call from a concerned citizen
advising of possible phone scam. Upon further investigation the phone scam,
“*72” has been going on for several years. It is mainly used by persons who
are in custody at a jail or detention center of some sort. Out going phone calls
from incarcerated persons are usually collect calls. The Attorney General of
Texas, Greg Abbott released the following warning.
DON'T FALL FOR JAILHOUSE "*72" PHONE SCAM A concerned parent from the Dallas area contacted us this week to report that a well-known telephone scam is still active here in Texas. This person's teenage son took a call that seemed to be a wrong number. The caller implored the boy not to hang up, and proceeded to tell a hard-luck story about being detained by police and urgently needing to get a call through to his family. The caller persuaded the boy to dial *72. Since then, the family's phone has been tied up with a steady stream of calls by inmates of the local jail to their friends and associates, and the inmates' calls are being charged to the family's phone number. Make sure that everyone in your household is aware of this scheme. The key is, don't accept a collect call from someone you don't know, most especially from someone in jail, and more importantly, do not grant such a person's request to dial *72. Please do not fall for a colorful and sad story involving frightened children waiting for their father to pick them up at school, or whatever else the caller may invent to win your sympathy. Hang up. Or you will end up providing inmates with free phone service (free for them - expensive for you). If you ever are victimized by this scheme, contact your telephone service provider, who may be willing to spare you the charges, and let the sheriff know that the scam is occurring in his county jail. Greg Abbott Attorney General of Texas |
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