CENTRAL POINT, Ore. — A now-common tactic in recent phone scams is being used to target a very specific set of victims—sex offenders. According to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO), they have been getting recent reports from local sex offenders reporting the scam.

In those reports, the scammer(s) calls registered sex offenders, posing as an employee of the Sheriff's Office. The caller claims that the sex offender did not complete their registration, then demands payment in the form of 'prepaid credit cards' in exchange for avoiding arrest.

CLICK HERE to read about a similar, elaborate scam that hit Josephine County early this month

JCSO wants to remind the public that no one legitimately connected with their office would call to request money for any reason.

"A person who fails to register as a sex offender will be arrested in person," said JCSO in a Facebook post, "they will not be contacted by phone and there is no fee to negotiate."

The Sheriff's Office urges anyone who receives a similar call to not send money. Instead, speak to a deputy by calling JCSO dispatch at (541) 776-7206.