Racist Text Messages Ohio a Growing Concern

Racist text messages in Ohio are a growing concern, with a significant number of incidents reported in recent years.

According to data from the Ohio Attorney General's office, there were over 1,000 complaints of hate crimes, including racist text messages, filed in 2020 alone.

Many of these incidents involve anonymous senders, making it difficult for victims to track down the perpetrators.

In some cases, the messages are sent from fake numbers or accounts, further complicating the process of identifying the culprits.

You might enjoy: Racist Text Messages

The FBI is aware of the racist text messages sent to individuals across the country, including in Ohio.

The FBI has confirmed that they are in contact with the Justice Department and other federal agencies about the matter.

These messages have been reported to local law enforcement agencies, as the FBI encourages members of the public to do.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office is also aware of the text messages and has a team looking into it.

For another approach, see: Fbi Warns Iphone Android Text Messages

A check of some of the phone numbers sending the messages shows they are landlines, which cannot send text messages, suggesting a spoofing scam.

Spoofing makes it look like a call or text is coming from a known contact or local entity.

The Southern Poverty Law Center has condemned the messages, calling them a public spectacle of hatred and racism.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office has opened an inquiry into the matter, with Attorney General Dave Yost calling the messages "despicable".

Worth a look: Spoofing Text Messages Iphone

The FBI is aware of the racist and offensive text messages sent to individuals around the country, including in Ohio, and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal agencies about the matter.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office is also aware of the text messages and has a team looking into it, with Republican Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost calling the messages "despicable" and saying his office is looking into it.

Curious to learn more? Check out: Out of Office for Text Messages

Some of the text messages appear to be coming from phone numbers with Ohio area codes, but a check of some of the numbers shows they are landlines, which cannot send text messages, suggesting that the text messages may be part of a spoofing scam.

Spoofing makes it look like a call or text is coming from a known contact or local entity, and the Southern Poverty Law Center has stated that the text messages sent to young Black people "is a public spectacle of hatred and racism that makes a mockery of our civil rights history".

The Ohio Attorney General's Office has opened an inquiry into the "despicable" racist text campaign, and the FBI has reached out to the Justice Department and other federal agencies about the matter.

The text messages have targeted Black men, women, and students, including some as young as middle school, and have included threats such as being selected to pick cotton at a plantation.

Some of the recipients have reported receiving messages with their name included, and one woman in the Cincinnati area received a message that included her name and a threat to be searched.

The text messages have been reported in multiple states, including Ohio, Virginia, and others, and the FBI has encouraged members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement agencies.

Check this out: Unsolicited Text Messages Law