MIAMI COUNTY, Ohio (WDTN) — A new, unusual scam is targeting individuals who are registered sex offenders.

The Miami County Sheriff’s Office is reporting an individual by the alias of Investigator Dillon is calling and texting family members of people who are registered sex offenders. When family members are contacted, Dillon says he is with the “Ohio Sex Offender Unit,” which is illegitimate and does not exist.

The individual initiating the contact with the families tells the people that the registered sex offender is in some sort of trouble and the family needs to contact the scammer as soon as possible.

People are told the offender has missed an appointment of some sort and now has an active arrest warrant issued by an area judge. A form of payment is then initiated, so the arrest warrant can be void.

“One of the offenders did electronically send $500.00 at the direction of the caller,” the sheriff’s office said.

Miami County wants people to know it is a scam and law enforcement will never ask or demand money over the phone for any reason. If you receive a phone call and you live in Miami County, you can report it to the sheriff’s office at 937-440-6085.