Warning – Bond Collection Scam

SCORE has been made aware of a scam where a family member of an inmate at SCORE was contacted by an alleged bond agent.  The agent said that the family member was being contacted at the request of the inmate and they were supposed to post their bail.  The agent made arrangements to meet the family at the bank where the family member withdrew a large sum (more than the bail amount) of money and gave it to the agent, expecting their loved one to be released from jail.   SCORE was notified the following day by the family when the inmate was not released from jail and the scam was discovered. 

 

Helpful reminders:

  • You should never receive a “cold call” from a bonding company.  If you wish to bond someone out of jail, you should contact the bond agency directly.  You may wish to contact multiple bond agencies and find one that you feel comfortable with.
  • Bond agencies will meet you at the jail where the inmate is located.  They will not meet you at a bank or other location.
  • Bond agencies charge a percentage of the bond amount based upon the risk (ususally between 8 and 15%).  If you have the entire bail amount available, you do not need a bond agent and you can post the bail amount directly at the jail.
  • When in doubt, contact the jail where the inmate is housed and ask about the bond amount.

 

Posting bail:

SCORE jail accepts bail on behalf of the Court having jurisdiction over the charge an individual is booked on.  The amount and type of bail is determined by the Court.

 

How to Post Bail

Bail is accepted at the reception window in the lobby at 20817 17th Avenue South in Des Moines. The reception window is open between the hours of 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday - Friday.  After hours, please use the after-hours intercom next to the main jail lobby entrance.  Someone will be available to assist you.  Bail may be posted with cash or a bond from a bail bond company.

 

Bonding Companies

There are many bail bond companies authorized to write a bond at SCORE. The bail bond companies generally charge 8-15 percent of the bail amount. This is their fee for writing the bond and is not refundable. SCORE does not provide referrals to any specific bonding company.

Click here for the approved list of Bonding Companies (PDF)

 

Releases

Once bail has been posted, it may take as much as two to six hours before the person in custody is released. Release times will vary depending on the day of the week, time of day and how many other releases are pending at the time the bail is received. We appreciate your patience and understanding of the importance of taking steps to ensure that only the correct individuals are released.

 

Bail Reimbursement

All bail received at SCORE jail is forwarded to the Court that ordered the bail.  Please contact the Court directly for all questions regarding bail refunds.