Gallup warns of scam using children’s names to demand bail money

Gallup warned residents Saturday about a scam that uses children’s names to pressure parents into sending bail money, a tactic meant to trigger panic and force a fast decision. City officials said the fraud is designed to sound urgent and personal, making it especially dangerous when a caller claims a child or other relative is in custody and needs money right away.

The city’s alert said the City of Gallup, Gallup Municipal Court, Gallup Police Department and other area agencies will not call family members to demand bail payment on behalf of someone in custody. That warning gives residents a clear first test: any call, text or message asking for immediate bail money should be treated as suspicious until it is confirmed through official channels.

Gallup Police Department lists Chief Erin Toadlena-Pablo and Deputy Chief Billy Padavich on its official website. The department says it has 60 commissioned officers, 10 public service officers and 6 civilian employees. If a family member is contacted about an arrest or jail stay, residents can verify the claim by calling the department’s non-emergency line at 505-863-9365, rather than using a number provided by the caller.

McKinley County Adult Detention Center is at 255 South Boardman Drive in Gallup. The county says the facility is a 328-bed short- and long-term jail that employs about 55 staff members. Residents can also check with the detention center directly at 505-979-7224, with the McKinley County Sheriff’s Office at 505-863-1410, with Municipal Court at 505-863-4469, or with Magistrate Court at 505-722-6636.

The Federal Trade Commission says family-emergency scams often involve a claim that a relative needs money for bail, and warns that scammers may even use voice cloning to make the plea sound more believable. The Federal Bureau of Investigation treats impersonation and emergency fraud as a major public-safety issue and routes complaints through the Internet Crime Complaint Center. In Gallup and across McKinley County, the safest response to any panic call about bail is to hang up, verify the claim with a known local number and send no money until the story checks out.