By Sandy Rozek
First published at narsol.org
By Sandy . . . For years telephone scams targeting persons registered on their states’ sexual offender lists have plagued registrants in half, possibly more, of our states. NARSOL first was alerted to this in 2018 and in turn did everything we could to get the word out. We posted multiple pieces over several years and featured the topic in a special, three-hour NARSOL in Action teleconference.
In more recent years, other issues have pushed their way to the forefront, and while we knew the scams were persisting, it was just one more thing among a host of others.
Read more here.
What someone finally figured out is, the same people who run the RSO scam are also running scams that target the general population.
As the article says, if you don’t recognize the caller, quit answering the phone. If its important, they will leave a message and why they are calling, which the scammers never do.
RaD
It is either law enforcement or ex law enforcement. As former LEO myself, you do not have that kind of expertise and knowledge of not only law enforcement lingo but most, how do they have ALL of our info that is not made public?
Take my case for example, I had not even made it home from registering when I got the call on my “UNLISTED”cell phone and a so called deputy who was so good, I questioned myself. He new I had just registered but that they had forgotten to take my DNA test. I hung up and tried to call the registry office but no one answered, nor the non emergency # would answer.
Not 10 minutes later the so called deputy called my parents unlisted home # and told my Dad I would be arrested. Dad called me and I said I was on the way home and to not answer the phone. I told him I was going back to the registry office and of course, “It’s a scam”. But I did the right thing returning to registry office as they confirmed it was a scam but they refuted my claim a former or current employee of law enforcement would do such a thing.
Watch the news, cops are being arrested all the time for corruption and no one is above the law. I experienced that when I was in law enforcement and if you snitched, you were done. They cover each other’s butts and will lie for each other to save a career while the citizens get let down when justice does not prevail.
Regardless of being arrested and saying what I said above, not all cops are dishonest. It is the few that ruin it for everyone yet cast a shadow over the entire department.
I got a call a year or two ago. I’m in NY. The number was from a tiny town about 40 miles away and the guy calling had a southern accent and claimed to be with the Sheriff’s Office. I was polite, pointed out that there are known scams like this so I am sure he would understand my caution, asked for his badge number and name and told him I would hang up, call the Sheriff’s Office myself on their published number and ask for him.
I called and explained the situation. The woman who answered said “Oh, yeah, we’ve heard about him!” and told me it wasn’t valid. I was already done with my supervision and treatment, but I called both to pass along that the scammer was targeting the area so they could warn the people who were still under supervision and/or in treatment.
I’ve been targeted in both Florida and North Carolina. Volusia County was downright hostile when I tried to report the scam. North Carolina just shrugged at me. The one in Carolina called my wife. For the life of me I have no idea how the “LEO” got her number.
BWJ
It is 100% someone in law enforcement doing this on the side. I got the call an hour after registering. When I stated I had just registered, they said it doesn’t matter and I had to meet and give a DNA sample. When I hung up, the guy called my parents. They then hung up and contacted me because I had not made it home yet.
I was on the phone for 3 hours trying to get someone to answer at the Sheriff’s office to make a report and resorted to doing it online. When I registered the next time, I mentioned it to one of the registry guys. I told him straight out I use to work in law enforcement and this guy was either a cop or an ex cop. He didn’t miss a beat and knew all the lingo, was well spoken and knew ALL of my information that only law enforcement and registry workers should have knowledge of.
I got one a few years ago, same scenario. When I called to report it, I was told not to bother because the odds of tracking them down were almost none. I told them it wouldn’t be that hard – in all likelihood it was either in theirs or the probation office. My name isn’t on my phone and theirs and the POs were the only places they could have gotten it.
Pretty sure I was right. Haven’t gotten another since.
I tried to get law enforcement to come with me to meet this person in hiding and catch them in a sting, but they said by time they got someone available to do that, the person would have moved onto the next catch of the day.
I did offer to meet the guy at the sheriff’s office lobby, but he had an excuse as to why that was not possible, that was the biggest red flag. If the cops want you, they will agree to meet you at a public place and would love for you to meet at a police station or sheriff’s office as that is like a fish jumping into the boat.