Middle Tennessee Police Warn Of New Phone Scam Involving 'Fake Assassins'

If you've had a cell phone for any length of time, you are likely very familiar with phone scams. It seems like you can't go a day without recorded messages asking about your car's extended warranty or explaining how you can consolidate your student loans, but there's one scam you've probably never heard of before: fake assassins.

Authorities in one Middle Tennessee county are warning residents of a new phone scam that sends a text message from an "assassin" who claims they were hired to kill you.

People in Wilson County are reportedly receiving text messages from the "assassins" who are offering to spare their "target's" life if they pay up, WSMV reports. According to the Wilson County Sheriff's Office, the would-be assassin scammer tells their victim that they will cancel the contract for $4,000.

An example of one text message sent to a victim, the scammer wrote, "I'm an assassin, I was sent to terminate your life and I've been following you for weeks and you seem to be a nice person that's why I wanna make a deal with you." If the victim doesn't respond to the initial text, the scammers have been reported to send follow-up messages that include photos of dead bodies and the words "You're next."

If you have received a message like the ones listed above, officers say it is best to block the number after the first text and report it to authorities.