Consumer Rights · Scam Alert · October 7, 2026, 9:10 PM CDT
Key Facts
- WFMJ issued a new alert: Bristol library warns patrons of new phone scam tactics
- BRISTOLVILLE – Scammers have created a new way to solicit money and personal information from citizens: Library card renewal calls in Trumbull County.
- How it reaches victims: Phone call.
- Tactics the source describes: Asks for money; impersonates a trusted organization.
Bristol library warns patrons of new phone scam tactics.
Scammers have created a new way to solicit money and personal information from citizens: Library card renewal calls in Trumbull County.
D’Lynn Johnson, manager of the Bristol Public Library, released a statement regarding the new phishing tactic, urging patrons of the library to never give personal information or payment over the phone.
The scam runs by a caller claiming to be an employee of the Bristol Public Library or a different library requesting payment or personal information to renew a library card due to expiration or suspension.[1]
What the Scam Looks Like
How to Protect Yourself
- Do not send money because of an unexpected call, text, or email. Hang up and contact the agency or person yourself using a number you look up independently.
- Contact the organization directly using a phone number or website you look up yourself, not one provided in the message.
How to Verify This Yourself
Read the original alert directly at WFMJ — that page is the primary source for everything above.
References
Investigative methodology: this update was produced by scripts/scam_monitor.py from a real WFMJ alert — not a language model. The quoted text above is verbatim from the source; any message or description shown in the illustration is quoted or copied from the source itself (see its caption); when the source does not publish the scam’s wording, none is shown or invented. Protection tips are matched from a fixed keyword list, not generated per story.
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