Elaborate Fake Kidnapping Scam Nearly Costs Mansfield Family

MANSFIELD, MA — Police in Mansfield are reminding residents to be careful after a local family was nearly fooled by a kidnapping scheme over the phone. Around noon Saturday, Mansfield police received a 911 call from a man who was told that his daughter was kidnapped. Police say the scammers were able to spoof his wife's and daughter's phone number in an attempt to convince members of the family that two of them were being held for ransom.

As the man's wife left to go to the bank with the "kidnappers" still on the line, he checked the family's iCloud account and learned that his daughter's phone was located in a parking lot near Interstate 495 in Bellingham. Police were able to locate the daughter's unoccupied vehicle in the Bellingham Walmart. Meanwhile, the man's wife was on her way to the Walpole Walmart to send the scammers money via Western Union. Walpole police were needed to prevent the transaction

While officers attempted to contact both women, police in Bellingham located the man's daughter, who said the kidnappers called from her mom's number with demands of money in exchange for her mother's release.

Police were able to convince the two that they were taking part in a scam and no money was lost.

The elaborate scam included the scammers capturing the voice of the daughter saying things like "Mom, mom," to "prove that they had her. In addition, scammers reported initially that both parents were being held hostage and they were using Google Maps to describe the daughter's home, making the experience seem more authentic, police said.

Police say the scheme is part of a new scheme that allows scammers spoof two family numbers and coerce and manipulate the victims. By keeping both parties on the phone, the scammers prevented each person from being able to confirm the other's safety, police said.

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