The Kentucky State Police in Henderson has documented a number of people who have reported calls from a person claiming to be with a law enforcement entity. The caller appears to be targeting registered sex offenders and requesting them send $450-$1000 for a DNA test or they will face arrest!
This is a scam.
Law enforcement will not call you to inform of an arrest warrant. Furthermore, these agencies will not ask anyone for money, banking/personal information or make threats of arrest. Of course, you may also contact the specified agency yourself if you are in any doubt.
Our best recommendation is to treat every solicitation call as a scam until proven otherwise. Sex offender scam aside, its always a good reminder to encompass all the known scams.
The best and proper way to determine the legitimacy of a charitable organization is to check with the Kentucky Office of Attorney General. By law, every charitable organization MUST be registered with the AG’s office. You may do so by calling 502-696-5300 or their website at ag.ky.gov.
The Better Business Bureau may also be a viable option to check as well.
Scams come in various forms and are ever-evolving into newer areas. To help as an overall guide, here is our “Top 10 Tip-off’s to a Rip-off!”
10) “High-pressure sales or frequent calls”
9) “Immediate decision” (You must act now…hence no time to decide or research for that matter).
8) “Request a credit or debit card or any banking account information”
7) “Offer to send someone to your home or to overnight something”
6) “Something for free”
5) “Unresponsive to questions or too quick to answer by cutting you off”
4) “An investment without a risk” (Every investment holds some form of risk(s)).
3) ”Will not provide written information or references” (Maybe hangs up on you when asked for written information or other forms of authenticity).
2) “Not registered with the Attorney General’s Office”
1) “ If it sounds too good to be true, it often is”
Should anyone receive these calls or have questions or concerns, they are encouraged to contact the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General at 502.696.5300.