SANTA CRUZ — A Sunnyvale man was arrested at his home Thursday after he sent text messages to teenage girls so that they would send him provocative photos, Santa Cruz County authorities said.

Scott Angelo, 29, currently out on bail, faces charges of lewd and lascivious acts with a minor, possessing obscene material and annoying or molesting children under age 18, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.

On Wednesday, investigators learned that Angelo had used an elaborate texting scam to get a teenage girl to send him suggestive photos, said Deputy Ryan Kennedy.

In the scam, Kennedy said, Angelo pretended to be a relative, telling the unidentified teen that he had recently changed his number. Angelo then told the girl that his “co-worker’s daughter” had a swimsuit line and asked the teen if she would like to model for the company.

Angelo then gave the girl another number for the fictitious company representative — who in truth was still Angelo — and when the teen called, Angelo disguised his voice and instructed her to send provocative photos to him, Kennedy added.

Kennedy said authorities learned that Angelo had allegedly done the same thing to four other unidentified people in Santa Cruz County as well as to one person in Indiana and another in Maryland.

“We have to remind everyone out there: Please don’t respond to electronic requests for anything that should remain private,” Kennedy said. “There are just too many scams out there to take advantage of people, and some of these guys are really sophisticated.”

When Angelo was arrested Thursday, police found more than 50 pictures Angelo had acquired from his victims in Santa Cruz County.

“It’s a tough thing; sometimes the kids don’t even realize they have been victimized right away,” Kennedy said.

Kennedy said the sheriff’s office believes there are other victims in Santa Cruz County. So deputies are asking anyone with information regarding the case to contact detective April Skalland at 831-454-7622.

Contact Katie Nelson at 408-920-5006 and follow her at Twitter.com/katienelson210.