Warning Issued By East Lyme PD About Fake Kidnapping Scam

EAST LYME, CT — East Lyme police are warning local residents to be on the lookout for scam phone calls that their child has been kidnapped.

"ELPD has responded to 4 calls over the past week after citizens were contacted and told their child had been kidnapped," officials wrote on the department's Facebook page. "The citizens reported hearing a child screaming for help in the background. They are then requested to wire $5,000 to an account and in return the child would be released. Two calls were received from 860-372-5402."

The scams are used to extort money, and the department urges residents to never wire money to unknown accounts or purchase gift cards as payments.

Below are tips from the department in how to spot a scam:

How to Tell a Kidnapping Scam is Fake
When scammers call victims, they often direct them to transfer money using a wire transfer service like Western Union. The perpetrators of this scam typically asked for ransom payments between $600 and $1,900. Asking for a wire transfer is often a red flag as scammers prefer wire transfers because they are hard to trace.

In addition, scammers do not call from the kidnapping victim's phone and they often want victims to stay on the line until the wire transfer is complete.

Avoid Being a Victim
Last year, the FBI reported a similar rash of kidnapping scams in San Antonio and advised consumers to remain calm if they receive a phone call from a potential scammer, according to a statement.

When scammers call the victim, they most likely have no knowledge of their loved ones and know what their spouse or family member's voices sound like. If you hear a voice on the other end of the line, try to determine if it is actually familiar.

Rather than rush to send the requested money, try to find the victim's whereabouts first and request to speak to the victim.

Finally, do not share any information about you or your family member.

How did this happen?
Fraudsters use several techniques to find information about you.

Social Media Reconnaissance – Attackers use social platforms such as Facebook to gather info on you, your family, and even the places you go regularly. With a few quick clicks on your profile, a scammer can find out who your siblings are, how you like to spend your weekends, and what your brother’s plans are.

Intimidation – Attackers will use intimidation and fear tactics to scare victims into believing their stories so they will give into demands.

Wire Transfer – Scammers will tell worried family members to wire money. Little do they know using phony accounts and details, this money can be accessed from anywhere making it hard to catch the attackers.

Image via Shutterstock

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