READ THIS: DON’T BE SCAMMED
Scams targeting people on the registry are becoming more and more prevalent. Because of the wealth of personal information publicly available through the online registry and the abundance of confusing requirements, persons on the registry are easy targets for scams. It’s very easy for the scammer to get enough details about the target to sound authentic and convincing. It’s also very plausible for the target to believe that they unknowingly ran afoul of some law – we are all a bit paranoid because of the registry.
There are two common scams we hear about. In both someone pretending to be from the local sheriff’s office calls the registrant and claims there’s a warrant for their arrest. Usually they demand money, paid through a stored value card (like a prepaid card bought at a convenience store) or for the person to meet them at a specific location (where they are robbed or assaulted).
This morning we received the following from a member:
I just had a call from a Deputy Davis saying there are two warrants out for my arrest for not showing up in front of a magistrate this morning. The guy said I had a registered letter sent to me October 1st and I never received one. He then proceeded to tell me I would have to pay $1000 bond at a kiosk that the sheriffs office has. This would keep me from going to jail tonight and they would reschedule the hearing. I thought this sounded kind of funny and asked for the address of the kiosk. He proceeded to give me the address, which I knew where it was. It is a Sunoco gas station. I told him that and I said I’ll call you right back. I called the sheriffs office and told them my situation. They said this guy has been targeting sex offenders and they are working on tracking him down.
You might want to let your members know about it. The name comes up on caller ID as Joel Frey LMT. The number has no area code but is 355-7212. I returned the call using the 321 area code and he left an extension number of 701.
Earlier this month another member got a call from 954-284-1300, the person said he was “Major Steve Johnson from the Broward Sheriff’s Office, Sex Offender Registration Unit” and attempted to scam him.
Here’s what you need to know and do:
- As scary and stressful as these calls are to receive, recognize they are a scam.
- As for their name, a phone number where you can call them back and then dump the call. The scammers might insist you stay on the phone or they will come and arrest you or threaten you in some other way – take heart in knowing this is a widely known scam and not how law enforcement operates when executing a warrant.
- Call your County’s registration office (not the number the caller gave you, but the number on this list) and tell them what happened. They will confirm it’s a scam.
- Call your local (city) police department and tell them you want to file a police report. This is important – we want to catch the scammers and put an end to the victimization. If enough people file complaints they may actually do something to investigate this scam.
- Let us know so that we can share this information with others. Many potential victims contact us to let us know they were targeted but thanks to the information disseminated on our site, they were hip to the scam and didn’t fall victim.
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I have posted this before but, in Florida, if someone tells you , you have a warrant, here is the FDLE’s website warrants list to check your name for warrants. If you are not there, you don’t have a warrant.
Also law enforcement is NOT allowed to ask you for money.
http://pas.fdle.state.fl.us/pas/restricted/PAS/person/WantedPersons.jsf
Thanks for the link.
Your welcome. We all have to look out for each other
Don’t answer your phone. If it’s a legitimate call, they will leave a message. Google the number and see what comes up.
What if other countries begin to use the registry to recruit people who could use them as that countries agents within the US?
Specially those who have worked within the gov and are now part of this registry could easily be recruited.
Has anyone ever thought that some of those individuals on the registry have nothing to loose anymore?
I have. If I were someone looking for a terrorist, I’d start with the Registries. Frankly, I am shocked that people who are listed on the Registries have not retaliated much, much more than they have. We know that some have retaliated by murdering people, including innocent children, but I would expect a lot more. I think what it comes down to is that people who are listed on the $EX Offender Registries ($ORs) are generally calm and gentle people. Now if the criminal regimes created Gun Offender Registries, as they MUST if $ORs could ever possibly be considered legitimate or moral, I expect that those people would likely cause a PILE of trouble. They shoot people after all and I would expect that.
Not to put politics in this but if certain people have their way, it wont be a gun offender’s registry but a general gun ownership registry. The Government wants a list so in time of crisis, they know where either they can take guns so the people cannot rise up, or in their words , no where guns are located in case the U.S is ever invaded. It is coming sooner than later.
“While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly”
1 Thessalonians 5:3
They have your info. The safest best thing you can do is hang up. My PD put it this way…if they (the PD) have a warrant THEY NEVER CALL TO ALLERT THE PERSON. If you get a call and your anxiety peaks and your BS meter is off the charts, hang up. Personally I have to fight the urge to mess with them or call them what they are BUT, they have your info and no reason to give them an excuse to drive by pay you a personal visit because you insulted them.
Good idea DM! I screen my calls. If the caller was real they leave voice mail. I have on my an app from T-Moblie cell phone they says scam possibly but I still screen my calls.
Remember be cool when you speaking to them they have your phone number they gonna have your information like home address, And for godsake don’t meet anyone with money they asked for. If it were me because I am old school. I tell them come and get me. Cops don’t call you at all because most of them are too lazy harassing low hanging fruit and not solving murders and eating donuts. Please don’t get me wrong I have to uncles in law enforcement I respect them because they put themselves in harms way,but I don’t speak with them because of what profession they are in!
In Maryland, they are very sophisticated. They leave messages, use real call back numbers, and have a second ‘sheriff’ call you back if you hang up. I knew it was a scam when I was called but quite frankly, I felt very intimidated.
Know that a ligitimate law enforcement agency or sheriff’s office 1) will not call you about a warrant before they serve it and 2) they do not ask you for money. Report the incident to local police even though most times they are less than interested.
Beware, be smart and don’t be intimidated
Always insist on a police report filed.