The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a phone scam targeting registered sex offenders.
Someone is calling registrants, claiming to be from the Sheriff’s Office, and then telling the registrant he/she will be arrested for a violation if the registrant does not immediately send the caller payment in the form of an iTunes or other money transfer.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office says several people may have fallen victim to this scam.
Remember: no legitimate law enforcement officer will ask you for money over the phone. If you receive such a call — DO NOT send the caller any money — but do contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department to report the scam attempt.
We know that sex offender registries make registrants, their families, and employers easy targets for public ridicule, ostracism, harassment, and threats of vigilante violence.
Add this latest phone scam to the long list of examples of how public registries decrease public safety and reasons why they should be abolished.