JPD warns of phone scam

The Jacksonville Police Department has issued a scam alert regarding someone identifying themself as a JPS detective.

"The Jacksonville Police Department has been made aware of a phone scam where someone identifying themselves as a Jacksonville PD detective is calling individuals and requiring funds to be transferred to avoid criminal prosecution," said Police Chief Joe Williams in a released statement.

"The caller is requiring funds to be electronically transferred to a Green Dot card, a type of debit card. The victims thus far have been on the sex offender registry and appear to be a targeted group. There could be other victims of this scam from other public source databases," he said.

Officials remind residents that police officers "will not contact them and require any type of a money transfer to any type of debit card, bank account or other banking instrument," the release noted.

Individuals victimized by this type of type of scam, or who have information as to who may be committing this crime, are asked to contact Detective Compton at the Jacksonville Police Department, 903-586-2549.