Mexican Cartel Phone Scam Targets Polk Residents: Police

WINTER HAVEN, FL — The latest phone scam targeting Polk County residents involves threats from scammers who say they are with the Mexican Cartel, said the Winter Haven Police Department.

Authorities said a Winter Haven woman received a phone call from an international phone number on Saturday, and on the other end of the call was a man who said he had information about her grown daughter being involved in a car crash.

The suspect said he needed her to verify her daughter's personal information, according to detectives.

The mother felt pressured by the urgency of the call and gave him the information he requested, said police.

Immediately after the suspect got her personal information, he changed his tone and demanded the mother Western Union $1,000 to Mexico because he claimed to have her daughter as hostage, investigators said.

He threatened her daughter's life if she disconnected the call, officers said.

The victim sent him $350 via Western Union without disconnecting the phone call in the process, said authorities.

The mother told police that she heard a woman in the background from the caller's location that screamed, "Mommy! Help!"

Investigators said the caller demanded she send more money, and she sent the rest of the money she had. The phone call ended after that.

She called her daughter immediately afterwards and her daughter was safe with her husband in Orlando, according to detectives.

Even though she was happy to hear her daughter was safe, she didn't receive a response from Western Union that would add to her happiness when she called the company to ask for a transfer stop.

Western Union told her that it was unable to stop the electronic transfer of cash.

Authorities did not disclose the full amount she sent to the suspect.

This type of coercion is unthinkable," said Charlie Bird, chief of police. "And the worst part is it is extremely difficult to trace these types of scams and bring people to justice."

Authorities warn citizens that these tactics are used to put victims in a position of fear. If anyone receives this type of call, as hard as it may seem, disconnect and call law enforcement immediately with the phone number the call came from and any names associated, if given.