Scams This Week 1/4/23

Kidnapping Phone Scam Targeting Parents: The scammers have done enough research to know locations and names. It’s done through social media mostly because we tend to post a lot about our lives. The threat of someone attacking your child will cause panic and interrupt your thought process. While there are different iterations of this scam, they all start with a phone call or text message from someone posing as a family member, often a grandchild or child. The emergency can vary from being stuck in a different state, or country, or being arrested and hurt. This is a way to elicit a panic response as well as add urgency. Most parents and grandparents would do anything to help a family member in trouble. Scammers will tap into that protective emotion, and explain that you can tell no one else.

It’s very to Stop-Question and Confirm.

• First, think about where should your child or grandchild be. Why would they be calling you? Are you able to talk to them?
• Does it sound like the family member or have they made an excuse as to why their voice sounds different?
• Can they provide more information that only that family member would know? Ask about things that can not be found on social media, like a nickname or pet's name, or a former pet from years ago.
• Be skeptical. Call the family member on their phone, or their parent or sibling.
• If the family member is expected to be in school, contact the school or School Resource Officer to locate them.
• If the scammer is posing as Law Enforcement and asks for money know that is a scam.  LE will not take forms of payment like cryptocurrency, gift cards, or any Peer-2-Peer payments (Zelle, Venmo).
• They would also not take payment over the phone.
• Hang up and call your local police department. You can always call the agency the scammer is posing as to confirm. If the scammer is using a specific government agency or the name of an officer, let local police follow up.