Lang
12/11/25
Scammers are targeting Muscatine County residents…and the likely method they’re using could make Johnson County a future target.
A post on the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page indicates a male described as having an accent and claiming to be a sergeant with the Muscatine County Jail called a resident on Wednesday advising someone the recipient knew was in jail and needed to be bonded out. While the subject the scammer mentioned was booked in the jail, it was for a mittimus and is not a charge for which bond can be posted. Investigators believe the scammers are using names from the jail roster on the Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office app and then researching via other means potential relatives to contact. Johnson County also keeps a list of its current jail inmates on its website.
The Muscatine County Sheriff’s Office also reports that a law enforcement officer from the area was contacted by a male advising his name was Sgt. Cook with their office and that the officer who took the call had missed federal court. The officer advised the scammer they were an officer and the scammer hung up.
Authorities say to never agree to meet someone you don’t know to pay money to them, and never send money via payment applications.