LAWRENCE COUNTY — Lawrence County Superior Courts 1 and 2 have issued an urgent warning to the public regarding a deceptive new phone scam actively targeting recently bonded individuals and their families.
According to Lawrence County Superior Court Judge Bob Cline, scammers are exploiting recent release records to contact individuals shortly after they post bond. Impersonating probation officers, court officials, or law enforcement agents, the callers falsely claim that an immediate digital payment is required to activate electronic monitoring or to remain on home detention.
Judge Cline emphasizes that these high-pressure calls are completely fraudulent and designed to steal money from vulnerable families.
To protect the public, the courts have released several critical facts regarding official county procedures:
- No Phone Solicitations: Court and probation staff will never call individuals or family members to demand immediate payments over the phone.
- No Mobile App Payments: Official fees in Lawrence County are never collected via mobile payment applications such as Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App, nor do officials accept gift cards.
- Official Channels Only: All legitimate court and probation fees must be processed strictly through verified, official county channels.
- Verify Before Acting: Residents who receive a suspicious call are instructed to hang up immediately. Do not provide any personal or financial information. Instead, contact your assigned probation officer or the Lawrence County courts directly using a verified, official phone number.
