Police in Schertz, Texas, are warning the public about scammers using phones to target their victims by claiming that they have kidnapped their family members and demanding a ransom in order to release their hostages.
Authorities announced that by Wednesday, January 3, they had already received several reports of what the FBI terms the Virtual Kidnapping Ransom Scam.
The Schertz Police Department released a statement saying that it was unfortunate that the scammers were preying on the innocent. He said the scammers were telling their victims that they had abducted a family member and that the only way for the victim to get their loved one out alive was to wire money.
According to the police department, the victim may hear some screaming in the background, making it sound like a kidnapping. The scammers then urge the victim to stay on the phone as they try to make the money transfer, which is a ploy to trick them from calling 911 or even checking on the allegedly kidnapped person.
The scamming trick rise can be attributed to the holiday season, as scammers try to do everything they can to make money.
In November 2022, a Texas father got a call demanding money, claiming his son had been kidnapped. Luckily, the father caught on to the scam before he sent any money.
The elderly and small business owners are especially easy targets as they often easily give out sensitive information through a call or open a link in a text message, or even go to an unsafe website.
Scammers even file taxes on the victim’s behalf so they can get their tax returns and information.
In March 2022, the FBI warned about a virtual kidnapping scam rampant in the United States.
According to the agency, widespread use of social media and affordable international travel deals have made a great combination for virtual scammers. The scammers go on the internet and search for targets through posts by international travelers. They then call the loved ones claiming they have taken their family member hostage and coercing the unsuspecting people into sending money.
According to the warning, the scammers can often present themselves as corrupt law enforcement officers or even members of a gang. They push the victims to act quickly; the money is long gone when the victims realize they have been conned.
In September 2022, a California mom almost became the victim of a virtual kidnapping scam. The mom, who only wanted to be identified as Kristi, told a news outlet that she was called by an unknown number that claimed to have her son. She heard crying in the background and panicked, but before she could send the money, she called her son’s phone, and he answered, so she knew the people who had called her were scammers.
The National Institute of Health has a few tips on how to prevent getting scammed, including being cautious of calls that do not come directly from the alleged victim’s phone, callers who want you to stay on the phone during the transaction, and callers who only accept money from a wire transfer.
