VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY) -- Scammers are targeting people with criminal records and claiming they must pay money to avoid arrest or warrants, according to the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office.

Sheriff Eddie Langlinais said scammers are, in many cases, targeting sex offenders, or others with criminal records, "as some of their information is or has been made public by law.

According to a news release, here is how the scam works:

• the caller says the sex offender is wanted on a failure to appear warrant for failure to provide a second DNA test
• the caller says a notice was mailed about a second DNA test
• the caller tells the sex offender that they must pay a certain amount of money for the warrant to be dismissed
• the caller may offer to help the subject avoid arrest by paying them, the scammer, a fee in cash or by using a prepaid money card, gift card, or depositing money into a Bitcoin ATM machine
• the caller may ask for personal information, such as a social security number or bank account number
• the caller may ask the subject to meet them at the sheriff's office to pay the fee that will keep them from being arrested

If you get a call of this nature, the sheriff's office advises the following:

• Hang up and do not have a conversation with the caller
• Hang up again if they call back
• Do not give the caller any personal or banking information
• Do not feel threatened or intimidated

Scam calls can be reported by contacting the Vermilion Parish Sheriff's Office or your local law enforcement agency.

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