Registered sex offenders in Ohio targeted by new phone scam

Registered sex offenders in an Ohio county are the target of a new phone scam, a sheriff's office says.

Chief Dep. Steve Lord with the Miami County Sheriff's Office says a scammer has been calling and texting people on the registered sex offender list, and their relatives, and demanding money over the phone. The caller identifies themselves as "investigator Dillon" with the Ohio Sex Offender Unit, which does not exist.

The caller tells the offender they're in trouble for missing an appointment and that a warrant has been issued for their arrest. The scammer demands that the person or their relatives make a payment over the phone to void the warrant.

One person transferred $500 to the caller, Lord said.

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"They paid, and then they (the scammer) asked for a bit more, and they got suspicious," Lord told The Enquirer.

The sheriff's office does not ask for money over the phone, he added.

"Asking to send cash or gift cards, or even Bitcoin transfers, those should all be red flags," Lord said.

People who receive similar phone calls are asked to report them to the sheriff's office.