Tuesday’s soft lockdown at two Banks County schools resulted from an extortion scam directed at the parents of some students in the system.
Banks County Chief Deputy Shawn Wilson said the sheriff’s office and GBI worked quickly to determine whether there indeed was a legitimate threat.
“After an extensive investigation into the text threats against the children on Tuesday, we have confirmed the texts originated overseas and were a scam created to embezzle funds from the parents,” Wilson said.
“This incident is the first that our agency has seen involving a phone scam where physical harm is threatened against a child for money,” Wilson said. “There was no evidence to show that the offender knew the parents or the children. It appears the information about the children was obtained through social media and a hacked account.”
Parents of the children against whom the threats were directed immediately contacted law enforcement, prompting the soft lockdown at Banks County Primary School and Banks County Elementary School, restricting entry and exit from the schools.
“We want to thank the family of the children for their immediate notification of authorities,” said Banks County Sheriff’s Maj. Carissa McFaddin. “We would also like to thank the Banks County School System for their quick and proper response to a threat against a child. We want to take this time to remind parents of our school children that public safety and the Banks County Board of Education have established protocols during a heightened state of emergency. During these times, movement on and off-campus is legally restricted to ensure that all remain safe. We will work expeditiously during the lockdown to establish a safe environment to lift the lockdown, to ensure everyone goes home safely.”
McFaddin praised for the GBI.
“The Banks County Sheriff’s Office also commends the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for their swift response and their agency’s technological advances that allow for the case’s fast disposition,” McFaddin said.
