Union County Sheriff’s Office Disables Online Inmate Roster After Scam Concerns

The Union County Sheriff’s Office has temporarily shut down its online inmate roster after discovering it was being used by scammers to target local families.

According to the sheriff’s office, the inmate roster website was inactivated on Dec. 24, 2025, following multiple reports of citizens being defrauded. The roster previously allowed the public to view recent arrests at the Union County Jail.

Officials said scammers were accessing the online roster to identify recently arrested individuals, then locating and contacting their family members. Posing as law enforcement officers, the scammers would claim that money was needed to secure the release of the incarcerated person. Several families reportedly lost thousands of dollars as a result of these fraudulent schemes.

“The decision was made to prevent further scams to our citizens,” the sheriff’s office stated, emphasizing that public safety and protection from financial fraud were the primary reasons for disabling the site.

The sheriff’s office noted it is exploring options to restore online access to inmate information in the future, but only if safeguards can be put in place to prevent misuse and protect residents from scams.

In the meantime, the Union County Sheriff’s Office will continue to publish information about recent arrests each week through the North Georgia News, ensuring the public still has access to official and verified arrest information.

Residents are encouraged to remain cautious of unsolicited calls requesting money and to remember that law enforcement agencies do not contact families seeking payment for an inmate’s release.