Bond Scams Are Targeting SC Families. Here's How to Spot One.

Scammers are using South Carolina's public arrest records to call families and demand fake bond money. Attorney Erin Bailey explains how the scam works and how to verify a real bond.

The call comes at the worst time. Someone you love has just been arrested. Their booking photo is already on the county website. You're scared, you're scrambling, and your phone rings. 

The voice on the other end says he's a deputy calling from the jail. He says your person can come home tonight. All you have to do is send money.

That call is a scam. And it's hitting South Carolina families hard right now.

How the scam works

Most counties in South Carolina maintain a public website listing everyone who has been arrested. Scammers are pulling names from those sites, and somehow they're also reaching the friends and family members of the people arrested. It's not clear how they're getting that contact information. What is clear is how often it's happening.

Attorney Erin Bailey reports that every single client her office has handled in the past month received one of these calls.

The script is consistent. The caller gives a deputy's name, sometimes a real one. He claims to be calling from the county jail, often naming Georgetown County specifically. He says your loved one qualifies for release on house arrest, and all it takes is a payment, usually around $1,000, sent wherever he directs.

Some of these calls come in after the bond hearing has already happened. There's a real bond, set by a real judge. The scammers just get to the family first and route the money to the wrong place.

The tell

No sheriff's deputy is going to call you and tell you what the bond amount is. That is not how bond works in South Carolina, in Georgetown County or anywhere else.

Here's the other thing worth knowing. In counties where arrest information is publicly available, the bond amount is usually listed right alongside it. That number is the bond. Don't let anyone on the phone tell you different.

How to post bond the right way

There are three legitimate paths, and only three.

If your loved one has an attorney, all bonding information should come through that attorney. What the bond is, and how it can be posted. Full stop.

If there's no attorney yet, you can post the bond directly at the jail.

Or you can work through a licensed bail bondsman.

That's the whole list. No deputy hotline. No house arrest fee. No payment app transfer to a number you've never seen.

For a full breakdown of how bond works in South Carolina, from the hearing to what 

happens if you miss court, start with our Bond, Bench and Beyond series.

What it costs families when it works

Erin spoke with one family who lost $1,500 to this scam. They sent $1,000 the first time. When their loved one wasn't released, the scammers called back and got another $500 out of them.

Think about who these calls are targeting. Families already stressed and under pressure. Trying to afford bond. Trying to afford an attorney. Taking time off work for court dates. The scam lands on top of all of it, and it works because it arrives at the exact moment people are most desperate to help someone they love.

The bottom line

Only three kinds of people will ever contact you about posting bond. The person who was arrested. Their lawyer. Or a licensed bail bondsman. Anyone else on the line, hang up.

If someone you love has been arrested in Georgetown, Horry, or anywhere along the Grand Strand and you're not sure what's real, it's worth a conversation. Erin Bailey Law helps families understand exactly where things stand, so nobody can take advantage of the not knowing.

Common Questions

Will a sheriff's deputy call me about my loved one's bond?

No. Sheriff's deputies do not call family members to share bond amounts or collect bond payments. If someone claiming to be a deputy calls asking for money, it is a scam.

How do I find out someone's real bond amount in South Carolina?

Most SC counties publish arrest records on a public website, and bond amounts are typically listed there. If the arrested person has an attorney, the attorney can confirm the bond amount directly.

How do I safely post bond for someone in jail in South Carolina?

Three ways. Through the person's attorney, directly at the jail, or through a licensed bail bondsman. Never send bond money to anyone who contacts you by phone.