Registered Sex Offenders Targeted by Scam Artists
from an Idaho State Police news release
The Idaho Central Sex Offender Registry, administered by the Idaho State Police, has been made aware of several attempted scams targeting registered sex offenders in at least one Idaho county and six Florida counties.
The caller may provide a callback number with a voice mail message that sounds as if it belongs to the local law enforcement agency’s registration office. In another report, the caller says they are with the sheriff’s office and they have a warrant for being non-compliant. The scammer goes on to say that the only way to take care of it without being arrested is go to the store and get a money card and give them the card number over the phone.
Anyone receiving such a phone call should not follow the instruction and should immediately report it to the local sheriff’s office.
We live in Texas and this happened to us last night. They preyed on my husband’s fear. He’s been registered 30 years with a perfect record. They told him to drive immediately, read his odometer before he pulled out of the driveway, then had him get cash cards which would be refunded. Said he now has to register twice a year and computer upgrades are causing problems all over the state. He spent almost 2 hours at walmart getting 6 “vouchers” as they called them, $500 each. When he walked in the door he started telling me the situation and while he was talking both of our eyes got like saucers as we both said, “have we been scammed?” They also had him confirm (tell them) our home address. He gave them our credit card numbers and the last 4 digits of his SS. We each got on our phones calling CC companies which cancelled the cash cards he purchased at Walmart. By the way, Capital One and Wells Fargo were AWESOME. Chase was horrible, not helpful, slow to respond. I did some research and put a hold on our credit line as well. They called back from a THIRD phone number saying they needed another $500. My husband began telling him he should be ashamed of himself. Treating people this way will only cause you problems in your own life. It will come back to you. The guy tried to continue to sound like an officer till my husband said, “you’re not getting a dime from me. We’ve cancelled all cards” etc. They the guy said, “you just THINK we’re not getting you!!” Husband said, “do you get a thrill out of hurting people?!?” to which he responded, “I SURE DO!” he confessed. We called sheriff’s office, and PD to have them patrol our home for the next few days or week just in case since they have our address.
Happened to me as well. $1800. The police were useless as well as helpless and told me it happens all the time and hang up. Telephones being what they are today, numbers can be ghosted.
When they ask for money, fight the fear and hang up. They have your info so best not antigoniz them. If it is a real issue, they don’t call and give you a heads up. They show up and arrest and you work it out from there. I did get another follow up scam call a couple of months later so I think they are selling lists.
Living in Colorado and just got scammed. Message was left on my home phone machine. Urgent legal matter I was told. I knew in my heart it was a scam but these guys were good. Fake radio chatter in the background, fake radio calls on a BOLO for me. My registration was less than a week old and was with the PD not the Sheriffs office. They told me not to tell anyone I had a warrant and I needed to stay on the line with them in case an officer stopped me they could intervene so I would not get arrested. I became very suspicious and angry. I asked who the Sheriff was and he got defensive and I knew but it was too late. They kept me on the phone long enough to verify the cards and then the call dropped. I went to the PD and the officer told me it happens 50 times a day. Folks….if it does not seem right, just hang up. Call the PD or Sheriffs office and verify your registration. I am angry, humiliated and short a wad of money. I would gladly pay that again to get my hands on these scum bags. They are the preditors.