Officials: Scam targeting family members of people in Kane County jail

The Kane County state’s attorney’s office is warning the public about a scam that is targeting family members of people held in the Kane County jail.

Scammers are calling family members of people in the Kane County jail and requesting a $2,000 retainer fee in exchange for the inmate’s release, the State’s Attorney’s Office said in a recent message.

Neither the Kane County state’s attorney’s office nor the Kane County Sheriff’s Office will ever ask an individual to send money directly for any reason, officials said, also noting that Illinois does not have cash bail.

And even though a scammer may know an inmate’s full name or other personal information, that does not mean the call is legitimate, the message from the state’s attorney’s office indicated, since information like the names of people held in the county jail is public record and available to anyone.

The office is urging anyone who receives a suspicious call or who is unsure whether a request is legitimate to hang up and contact the Kane County state’s attorney’s office directly at (630) 232-3500.