We have had random collect calls from Harris County Jail. I called the Sheriff at the jail, and he said to talk to the prisoner, who was calling, and find out his SPIN (prisoner ID) number. I did that, and over the course of the day led him to pray the Sinner's Prayer, for what good it did. What I learned was that he was in jail for kicking in doors and robbing and raping elderly women. He even asked me how old I am. I nearly choked, but I wanted the info too much, so I controlled my emotions. He said that he is illegal, and Mexico will release him and forgive his crimes, as soon as they take over Texas! I thought the guy was nuts! Then, he said that he has a wife and small baby and needed to provide for them, so he does so from jail. He makes up random numbers, calls them, and asks the person who answers to call a number to let his Mom know to come to the jail to pick him up, as he is being released and he has used his only quarter calling the wrong number ... you. The only thing is that you must first dial the extension, before you dial the number ... I think it was something like *69, but I can't remember for certain ... anyway, this number turns your long distance service over to the number that he gives you. Then, there are a bunch of folks waiting in the living room of his accomplice to use your long distance service to call South of the Border to make their drug deals and coyote connections.
That eye-opening day is what got me into prison ministry!
Of course, I smelled the rat for what he was, and I didn't allow him to succeed. I did, however, keep him on the phone the whole day, so he didn't have time to snare another hapless victim. I learned that this is a common scam that the inmates pull, as the AG has determined that it is a violation of their civil rights to deny them use of the telephone. They are on their honor not to misuse the phone ... CRIMINALS ON THEIR HONOR!!!! What have we sunk to?!!
When I called the phone company and told them of the scam, they took off my charges, as I had accepted his calls several times during the day in order to get his SPIN number. Once I had that, I called the Sheriff in charge back, and this criminal was put in solitary for 30 days. About a month and a half later, my neighbor two houses down got a collect call from an inmate wanting her to call his mother, as he had spent his last quarter and gotten the wrong number ....... and the scam goes on!
