Northern Michigan sex offenders targeted by scammers

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CHARLEVOIX COUNTY (WWJ) -- Registered sex offenders in northern Michigan are being targeted by scammers.

The Charlevoix County Sheriff's Office went on their Facebook to warn the public about the scam, in which an individual is calling people off the sex registry posing as a sergeant from their office.

The Sheriff's Office said they have taken several complaints from people who have been contacted by either a Sgt. Johnson or Sgt. Lewis, but there is nobody employed in their department that goes by those names.

The scammers, according to MLive, then inform the caller that they have violated the sex offender registry and there is a warrant for their arrest. In order to dismiss the warrant, the scammers request payment through a prepaid debit card, gift card or eBay card.

The police have said they do not conduct collections over the phone and do not take payment through gift cards.

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