Wednesday, June 8, 2011
“Collections Agent” Threatens To Have Children Removed From Home
Law enforcement officials are checking into a scam incident reported on Tuesday during which a caller attempted to obtain money from a Lawrenceburg woman, then threatened to have her children removed from the home if she failed to comply.
The victim, age 33, reported to deputies with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department that she received the call around 4:40 p.m. The caller, who identified himself as “John O’Brien,” told the resident she owed $190 on her Metabank card (used by Jones Apparel to pay their employees). He told her if she did not pay off the total amount, he would take out a warrant for her arrest.
The victim told the man that she owed nothing on her card. She told deputies that he had all of her personal information, including her address, date of birth and Social Security number.
When the caller heard children in the background, the victim said he changed his tactics, saying that if she did not pay, he would have the Department of Children’s Services take her children from her.
The victim told the caller she was going to the sheriff’s department to file a complaint. She said the man told her law enforcement “would be waiting to arrest her when she arrived.”
The victim told deputies she hung up on the man, but that he made repeated calls to her home. She said that she called the telephone number back, but that no one answered.
The matter has been handed over for continued investigation by detectives with the department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
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