CHESHIRE COUNTY, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Families of people arrested and being held at the Cheshire County Department of Corrections are being warned about a scam in which callers impersonate correctional facility employees and demand money for an inmate’s release.

The Keene Police Department said Tuesday in a social media post that scammers have been contacting relatives of Cheshire County inmates and using legitimate information about those in custody to make the calls appear convincing.

According to police, the callers tell family members that the inmate is eligible for release under electronic monitoring, then claim that a payment is required to arrange the release. The scammers may use the inmate’s name or other accurate details, making the calls particularly difficult to immediately recognize as fraudulent.

Officials emphasized that the Cheshire County Department of Corrections does not ask for digital payments over the phone as a condition of electronic monitoring or release.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call should not provide a payment, banking information, Social Security number, passwords or other personal information. Police recommend ending the call and independently contacting the correctional facility or local law enforcement using an official phone number rather than a number supplied by the caller.

Scammers frequently use urgency and fear to pressure victims into acting before they have an opportunity to verify the request. In some cases, fraudsters may also spoof a legitimate phone number or use information gathered from public records and social media to make their stories sound authentic.

The Keene Police Department said anyone who believes they have received one of the fraudulent calls should report it. People who want to verify whether a call concerning an inmate is legitimate can contact the Cheshire County Department of Corrections at 903-1600 or the Keene Police Department’s non-emergency line at 357-9813.

Authorities are urging residents to share the warning with family members who may be contacted about someone currently in custody.

Excerpt: Families of Cheshire County inmates are being warned about scammers posing as jail staff and demanding payment for electronic monitoring release.

Caption: Police are warning Cheshire County families about fraudulent calls from scammers posing as correctional facility employees.