'Dog the Bounty Hunter' Has Urgent Message for Fans About Fake Accounts

Duane "Dog" Chapman's team is urging fans to be wary of fake Facebook accounts claiming to be members of the Dog the Bounty Hunter cast in light of an ongoing scam that's conned fans of thousands of dollars. The official Dog Facebook page made followers aware of the scam earlier this week in a note posted to its wall.

"Please DO NOT accept ANY friend request from Dog or Beth Chapman, Duane Chapman Alice Chapman or any other variation," the notice from team member Rainy Robinson reads. "HE DOES NOT send friend requests and she can't."

"DO NOT respond to ANY request for money," Robinson continues. "DO NOT send any sort of currency in any shape or form by and through ANY mechanism. HE DOES NOT ask individuals for money EVER EVER EVER!"

The show's media team is "overwhelmed" removing fake accounts, the notice added. "I am hearing some people have sent as much as $5,000. You do not have to send these to me to verify this for you. When you see them REPORT THEM. ALL OF THEM. Some are taking advantage of your grief and like any con - will use YOUR emotions against you."

Asking fans to "please share this message far and wide," a member of Dog's team returned to Facebook not long after to remind fans of the fakery going around.

"Don't give them, money, information nothing," they said in a new post. "Dog and Beth accounts do not ever send out friend requests, EVER. Hopefully Facebook catches on one of these days."

It's been hard enough for the Dog the Bounty Hunter family after matriarch Beth passed away June 26 due to complications amid her ongoing cancer battle. Since then, her family and friends have been working to rebuild while preparing for the launch of WGN America's new show, Dog's Most Wanted, premiering Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 9 p.m. ET.

Photo credit: A&E