FULTON COUNTY, GA — Authorities are warning the public about a jail scam targeting families of individuals recently booked into the Fulton County Jail.

Fulton County Sheriff’s Office officials say the scammers post as jail officials or bail bondsmen and demand immediate payment.

The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office says after someone’s been booked into the jail, scammers would call the detainee’s family or emergency contact and demand payment right away to let them free.

Victims say the scammer claims to be a bonding company and uses a mix of real and fake information, including naming the defendant.

Officials say the scammers also make claims about outbreaks or medical conditions in the jail or some kind of fees due.

Some scammers also request that the money be sent using cash apps or other hard-to-trace methods.

The thieves behind this scheme move fast, Fulton County officials said.

Anyone who may receive this scam call are encouraged to hang up immediately. If you want to know about your loved one in jail right away, Fulton County officials say you can download the FCSO app to do a Resident Welfare Check.

WSB Radio’s Veronica Waters contributed to this story.