Attorney General Hanaway Warns of New Phone Scam Targeting Families of Incarcerated Missourians

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is warning Missourians of a new phone scam targeting the family members of individuals incarcerated in the Christian County Jail.

“We are investigating a brazen new scam against the Christian County Sheriff’s Office and incarcerated individuals,” said Attorney General Hanaway. “Using Christian County Sheriff’s Office’s time of grief and reflection to target individuals is appalling. We ask that any Missourians approached by this scammer report the call to our hotline at 800-392-8222.”

The Attorney General’s Office has received reports of a scammer falsely identifying himself as a Department of Corrections (DOC) employee and telling family members their relative could qualify for a work release treatment program. The family is then told they would have to pay DOC money up front to secure a spot.

Attorney General Hanaway reminds the public that the Missouri DOC will never require offenders or their families to pay for jobs or job training.

The Office has initiated an investigation into this scam, and Missourians who are approached by these scammers are encouraged to call the Consumer Protection hotline at 800-392-8222 or to make a report online at ago.mo.gov.