DRY RIDGE, Ky. — Kentucky State Police are warning of a new round of scam calls that use "aggressive" tactics to convince victims to turn over personal information and money.

Police said the scam works by convincing people to buy items over social media.

"The solicitor typically targets elderly people by showcasing items well below market value, and later requests payment by gift cards. This is a scam! If it sounds too good to be true, it often is," police said in a release Friday.

Kentucky State Police recommends treating every solicitation call or encounter as a scam until proven otherwise. To do this, research the actual market value of items being sold online, and do not try to purchase one unless you are doing it in-person or through a "credible, secured online payment platform."

Not sure if it's a scam? KSP offers some "warning signs" to look out for, including:

• High pressure sales or frequent calls.
• Pressuring you into an immediate decision ("act now" offers).
• Requesting credit or debit card or any banking information.
• Offering to send someone to your home or to overnight something.
• Offering something for free.
• Not responding to questions or cutting you off.
• Hawking a "no-risk" investment.
• Refusing to provide written information or references (that includes hanging up when you ask for written information or other forms of authenticity).
• Requesting payment in form of gift cards.
• Imitating law enforcement to request payment for citations, bail money, etc.

KSP recommends not engaging with scammers. Instead, report them to local law enforcement.

The messages began pouring into the law office of Joseph Jordan in Killeen, Texas, soon after the Pentagon announced it would seek to make the COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for troops. Service members wanted to know what their options were if they didn't want to be vaccinated.

"It's been the number one issue for our law firm for the last few days," Jordan told CNN. "I'm getting emails, I'm getting messages on my Facebook, we're getting phone calls. It's been absolutely nuts. Three or four calls an hour."

The issue of mandatory vaccinations is relatively new for Jordan, whose experience as a criminal defense attorney near Fort Hood focuses on violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice. But that hasn't slowed the calls.

"The questions aren't coming from the young enlisted. They're coming from the seniors, they're coming from the midlevel ranks," Jordan said. "I talked to a guy with 31 years in the service, and he asked, 'Do I need to retire now?'"

In the wake of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's announcement Monday that he would by mid-September seek the authority to make the vaccine mandatory even if it hadn't yet received full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, other law firms have seen a similar spike in inquiries. CNN spoke with five law firms with a focus on military law that say they have all seen a surge in inquiries about the COVID-19 vaccines. (Two other law firms say they have not received questions on this issue.)

'A lot of anger'

"The soldiers who have talked to me, I've experienced a lot of anger," said Joseph Owens, a lawyer who served in the U.S. Army's Judge Advocate General's Corps. Owens says his firm, based in Columbia, Maryland, has received about a dozen calls since Austin's announcement.

For Owens, the question revolves around whether it is a lawful order to compel service members to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. And to answer that question, he says he will look into the decision-making process behind mandating that vaccine and the legal considerations that went into the decision. Any procedural missteps in testing, authorizing, or administering the vaccine, he says, could make it an unlawful order.

"I think there's a very good argument that the answer is no, it's not a lawful order," Owens said, citing the troubled implementation of the anthrax vaccine in the late 1990s.

The military mandated the anthrax vaccine beginning in 1998, but it quickly ran into legal challenges and sowed distrust of unknown vaccines among service members, some of whom faced dismissal for their refusal to take the vaccine. That skepticism has crept up again with some troops for the COVID-19 vaccine.

"They want more data before they put a chemical in their body," Owens said.

But a similar challenge to the COVID-19 vaccines could be far more difficult to make, especially if the Defense Department waits for FDA approval before making the shots mandatory.

Despite being far newer vaccines, the COVID-19 shots have been administered to nearly 170 million Americans and many more around the world. The vaccines currently have an emergency use authorization from the FDA. Under this authorization, the military has made the vaccine available on a voluntary basis — troops who want to receive it can. But until now, Pentagon officials had been clear that they would not move to make it mandatory, focusing instead on encouragement and education to convince skeptical service members of its importance.

Jordan acknowledged the potential difficulty of challenging a mandatory order to get the coronavirus vaccine.

"You may not have a leg to stand on as it is, because you're looking at what is in the best interest of the service and your duty to your country," he said.

The military has accelerated its plans to vaccinate the force with the expectation of either imminent FDA approval or a request for a waiver from the defense secretary.

A draft warning order obtained by CNN from a West Coast Army base lays out a detailed plan to organize vaccinations across the facility, including what roles units will play and where vaccination sites will be set up. The warning order, which is notification of an upcoming mission, says the date the vaccine becomes mandatory will be referred to as "V-Day," short for vaccination day. It also appears to be a reference to "Victory Day," a holiday to mark successes in battles or war.

'V-Day'

"Given uncertainty with regard to potential FDA approval date, V-Day could occur with less than 7 days notice," the draft warning order states.

There are up to 17 mandatory vaccines for troops, though the total number required for each individual service member depends on where he or she is deployed or based. In the United States, service members are required to receive at least eight vaccines before basic training, including chickenpox, Hepatitis A&B, and a yearly flu vaccine. (The anthrax vaccine is required for longer deployments in the Middle East and Indo-Pacific. In North America, it depends on Defense Department policy.)

As the Pentagon develops a policy around restrictions for service members who refuse to accept the COVID-19 vaccine once it becomes mandatory, troops who refuse the currently mandatory vaccines face an array of potential disciplinary actions, including possible discharge from the military.

Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Wednesday that commanders would have a "range of tools" to work with service members who did not want to receive the vaccine that do not rely on disciplinary measures. But he added that "once a vaccine has been mandated, it becomes a lawful order to compel an individual to take the vaccine."

"Our expectation is that if an individual doesn't want to take the vaccine that we're going to provide them some counseling," said Kirby at a press briefing Wednesday, including "access to doctors, access to leaders in their chain of command so they fully understand the implications and repercussions to them if they don't take the vaccine."

Kirby said there could be religious and medical exemptions to receiving the vaccine, but that it would be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Patrick McLain, a retired Marine Corps military judge based in Dallas who still practices law, fully expects that some troops will be discharged over their refusal to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, similar to the courts-martial over the anthrax vaccine.

"I have no doubt it'll happen again," McLain said, estimating that it would take until the beginning of next year before the military began taking more severe actions. McLain said he had already taken on his first client who did not want to receive the vaccine, but he estimated that number across the military would be quite low in the end.

"There's probably a relatively small percentage in the military that will resist it," McLain said. "You're not going to find too many people that are joining the military that are going to refuse orders."

FORT MITCHELL, Ky. —

Greater Cincinnati rallied around a family and their restaurant after harassing and threatening phone calls Thursday.

Fort Mitchell police are investigating the incidents at Oriental Wok on Buttermilk Pike.

The restaurant was packed full of support by Thursday evening, as friends, neighbors and loyal customers showed up to eat.

The Wong family is well-known in the region and their restaurant's Facebook page caught people's attention after they posted about the disturbing calls.

"They've really embraced us as a family and we feel the same, they are our family, this is our home," Angela Wong Miller said.

Overwhelming support came walking into the Oriental Wok for Thursday's dinner service.

Wong Miller said someone called the Fort Mitchell restaurant several times threatening to shoot the employees.

The family posted about the incident and other harassment they've faced.

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"Tonight, when I walked in, about 5:30 p.m., we already had 50 tables. They all dining room's full. They all tell me they want to come here and support me, especially tonight," owner Mike Wong said.

Wong Miller's father, Mike Wong, moved to America from Hong Kong 48 years ago and grew his family and this restaurant.

They found new family members in this community who came to their side in the midst of a frightening threat.

"I read the Facebook post and I got angry so this is the only way I know how to support them," customer Bridget Bauman said.

They were all dining in a place for friends.

"We've been friends with Mike and Helen and their kids, since, well, before the kids were born actually," customer John Voelker said.

Voelker said they've only grown closer through the years.

"I was devastated because they are such wonderful people," customer Charlotte Voelker said.

Between sips or bites, came hugs and reassurance.

"I love this guy. I can't understand," customer John Berger said.

As Berger enjoyed drinks and his meal, Mike Wong came by for a hug.

"Best friend, best customer," he said.

The family received heartfelt letters, too.

"They said we wanted to reach out and say how much we support your family and hate what you are going through, so I can't even read anymore because it's really heartfelt. So, thank you, thank you to our community, thank you so much," Wong Miller said.

The family said they've had cars and houses egged and have had nasty calls during the pandemic.

Fort Mitchell police said they've had no other calls like this reported and they are working to trace the calls made to this restaurant.

Police have added extra patrols at the restaurant.

Officers have urged anyone who received similar calls to contact their local police department.

Anyone with information about the incidents at Oriental Wok is asked to call the Fort Mitchell Police Department at 859-331-2823.

More people are turning to 211 during this pandemic.

United Way Worldwide says 211 usually takes about 12 million calls per year across the United States. Right now, they're taking more than double that – up to 75,000 calls a day.

Two weeks ago, when a surge in calls started, many were about the virus itself and getting tested. Now, the calls have shifted to questions about economic problems.

211 is both a database and call specialist that connects people with one contact instead of having to turn to multiple places to get help.

“So, if you're calling, looking for food, the database knows which food pantries have food and which have run out,” said Brian Gallagher, President and CEO of United Way Worldwide. “Which shelters have beds and which shelters don't have beds, those kinds of things. Where is there financial assistance and so forth.”

You can call 211 go to

211.org

to set up two-way texting.

A specialist will walk you through a series of questions. You'll be asked things like how many kids are in your home, your employment status and your household income.

That eligibility information will only be used to point you in the right direction.

“211 gets people that are in desperate need to the things they need right away but we need to make sure that the funding is there for Catholic charities, for food banks, for domestic violence shelters and so forth and so we've been working with Congress to make sure that there is, in this next legislation, support for nonprofits that are providing those services as well as emergency support for 211,” said Gallagher.

211 is hiring part-time specialists to help with the increase in calls. It's also recruiting volunteers that work remotely. You can find those

opportunities here.