Latest Mesa County Phone Scam is for the Jail-Birds

There's a new scam in town. So far, Mesa County phone scams have come in every color of the rainbow. Scammers must be getting desperate. The latest Western Colorado phone scam is for the birds -- the jail birds, that is.

Don't you love it when you get a call from a friend of the family member asking you to bail them out of the pokey? Imagine getting such a call, but in this case, the friend or family member is unwilling to tell you their name.

My mom always told me she would never bail me out of jail, so don't bother calling. Well, if she won't bail her own son out, it's probably safe to say she won't bail out a "mystery" caller.

With this latest round of mischief, scammers are pretending to be with the Mesa County Detention Facility. They will say you're getting a call from an inmate and they need your credit card info to process the call.

Wow, the cost of phone service must have really gone up. In the past, calls such as this were just tacked on your phone bill.

You'll never have to wonder who is calling you from jail. That usually becomes obvious fairly quickly. The Mesa County Sheriff's Office says you should NEVER give out your credit card info over the phone. That goes for bank info, too.

Here's hoping you never get a call from a friend or relative enjoying a luxurious getaway at the Mesa County Detention Facility. As bad as that would be, imagine the damage if you fell for this scam. Spread the word.