Manchester woman loses $8,400 in bail scam, Florida man charged

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. (KMOV) - A Manchester woman was recently scammed out of $8,400 cash in a scheme where a Florida man, who is now criminally charged, allegedly set up a bail bond hoax in order to defraud her.

St. Louis County prosecutors have charged 21-year-old Jovan I. Hoskins, of Lehigh Acres, Florida, with stealing $750 or more, a class D felony, in the July 7 incident investigated by Manchester Police. A warrant has been requested for his arrest, according to docket entries in the case.

According to charging documents, the victim received a phone call from a person claiming to be an attorney, who told her that her son and grandson were involved in an accident while occupying a stolen car. The caller told the victim her family members were in jail and needed $8,400 for bail.

The victim obtained the cash, and the “attorney” told her a bail bondsman would come to her house to collect the money. A man later identified as Hoskins arrived and gave her a “case number” to write on the envelope and allegedly took the cash.

The victim and a witness gave police a description of the vehicle Hoskins was allegedly driving, which was also spotted on a traffic camera. A license plate number was obtained, and the car was traced to a rental business in Oklahoma, where it was allegedly rented by Hoskins, according to charging documents.

The Manchester Police Department said these are ways to prevent being a victim of a bail scam:

Lawyers or police personnel typically won’t call you to request bond money. They’ll let your relative call you instead.
Always ask to speak directly with your relative. If they make excuses or refuse, it is likely a scam.
Do not automatically trust a caller who claims to be your relative. Scammers often use information from social media to impersonate loved ones, even faking emotions like crying.
Scammers use pressure tactics and threats to rush you. If they threaten to raise the bond amount when you ask questions, it’s likely a scam.
Legitimate agencies will NEVER ask for payment via gift cards, PayPal, Google Wallet, or similar methods over the phone.
Legitimate agencies will NEVER send someone to your home to collect money. Hang up and call 911 immediately if you hear this.

If you suspect a scam, here are some things you can do to verify the legitimacy of the person and the agency they claim to be from:

Tell the caller you’ll call them back. If they object or pressure you for immediate action, it’s likely a scam. Hang up and take these steps:
- Take some time to try and contact your relative for verification. If they call back to rush you, it’s probably a scam.
- Hang up and then look up the agency’s phone number they claim to represent. Call the legitimate number and verify the information.
- If in doubt, contact your local police department for assistance.
If you suspect a scam attempt, hang up and call your local police department. Scammers often change their phone numbers, but blocking the caller’s number is a good idea as well.
If you think you are the victim of a scam, do not hesitate to report it to the police. Scammers are skilled at manipulation, and there’s no need to feel embarrassed.