The state is warning people about a phone scam targeting people on sex offender lists.

The Alaska State Troopers issued a public safety advisory Wednesday saying scammers are targeting people listed on the sex offender registry and trying to extort them for money. The caller claims to be a trooper in the sex offender/child kidnapper registry office, telling the call recipient that he or she is out of compliance and threatening arrest if a sum of money isn’t paid.

“This is a scam,” the advisory states. “The Alaska State Troopers, nor any other law enforcement agency in Alaska, will not contact people and demand money to be paid over the phone. Do not provide payment to anyone claiming to be law enforcement that reaches out to you via phone or email.”

People who think they may be out of compliance with a sex offender registry can get information from local police or trooper posts, according to the advisory.

Multiple scams in the state in the last few years have involved scammers calling and pretending to be Alaska State Troopers threatening arrest if a sum of money is not wired or paid immediately.

–Staff report