Last week, the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) was alerted to a scam involving a caller impersonating an MCSO deputy. The scammer claimed to be “Deputy Andrew Daniels” and told the victim that a deposit was needed for an ankle tether before an inmate—who was a relative of the victim—could be released from the Macomb County Jail.
The scam appeared credible for several reasons:
- The victim’s family member was in fact scheduled for release.
- The scammer had specific information about the inmate and referenced the legitimate TouchPay Communications system used by the jail.
The caller instructed the victim to load funds onto Chime gift cards and send them electronically. All communication took place via phone and email, with no in-person interaction. When the victim arrived at the jail, she was told no tether was required and that Deputy Andrew Daniels is not an employee of the MCSO.
The MCSO has since received calls of three additional scams involving false claims about tether monitor requirements and gift card transactions.
The MCSO is investigating these incidents.
