Mary Alice Reporting –
A child abduction risk is being highlighted by a local agency after several recent impersonations.
A kidnapping occurred in Canton related to a woman falsely identifying as a children services worker and a Tuscarawas County scare has the local Job and Family Services Office sending a reminder.
Tuscarawas Director David Haverfield says that, earlier this week, a local woman notified them that she had received a call advising that her children were going to be removed and that she had to go to the JFS office.
Haverfield notes that the caller spoofed the agencies phone number.
He says that CPS would not make a threatening phone call but in-person visit can happen, and it’s encouraged to ask to see an identification badge, but since those can be faked, Haverfield adds that a real employee will allow a parent or guardian to make a phone call to the agency for verification. A call can also be placed to the sheriff’s office, at 330-339-2000, as they have 24-hour access to on-call workers from CPS.
The phone number for Tuscarawas County JFS is 330-339-7791. The hours are Monday – Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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