OHIO — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the FBI are investigating after Black Ohioans received racist scam text messages.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
The text messages were sent to people after Election Day, according to our media partners WBNS-10 TV and WCPO-9 TV.
TRENDING STORIES:
- ‘Heard boom ... and she went down;’ Neighbors detail chaos after 2 dead in Dayton shooting
- More closures for beloved area restaurant chain
- 3 found dead inside Ohio home
The messages tell the recipient that “you have been selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.”
It includes a date and time, telling the recipient they will be picked up by “executive slaves” in a van, both stations report.
“Be prepared to get searched so don’t try anything,” the text reads.
WCPO-9 staff spoke with several people in the Greater Cincinnati region who received the overtly racist messages.
One woman in the Cincinnati area received a different message that included her name.
“As of January, we will be sending personal mail for plantation numbers following the mass deportation of immigrants,” the message reads. “Please send back your age and personal qualities for plantation numbers and locations. #MAGA.”
According to WCPO-9, at least one of the phone numbers used to send the messages links back to a Voice Internet Protocol (VoIP), which is a computer program that makes and receives calls using the Internet instead of the phone’s network.
VoIPs have been used by businesses for years, but have also been used by scammers to generate scam calls and spoof phone numbers, WCPO-9 reported.
A spokesperson for the Ohio State University confirmed with WBNS-10 that some students have received the “disparaging text messages.”
“We have reported the messages to the Office of Institutional Equity and are offering support services. We are aware that this is happening nationally,” the spokesperson said.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost confirmed to WCPO-9 and WBNS-10 that his office is investigating.
The FBI and attorneys general in multiple states confirmed people have received similar racist messages.
Virginia’s Attorney General Jason Miyares said he “unequivocally condemns” them in a statement.
The FBI released a statement saying they are “aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter. As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities.”
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]