Local newspaper classified advertisers beware:

A scam has been brought to our attention that affects our newspaper classified advertisers.

It has been reported to the newspaper that people who are advertising in our classified section have received a phone call from someone identifying themselves from Ripley Publishing Co. saying there is a problem with the billing. They then ask for the advertiser's credit card information.

This is a scam. If you receive one of these calls please do not give out your information. Instead, call Ripley Publishing Co. at 812-689-6364.

We do not make a practice of calling our advertisers for credit card information after they have placed an ad. This is a scam that has been reported in other newspapers across the state.

We have reported these incidents to the Hoosier State Press Association and the Indiana Attorney General's Office.

We regret this unfortunate situation for our classified advertisers. As in any situation, never give out personal information such as a credit card numbers or social security numbers to people who solicit this information.