TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The Tucson Police Department is warning Tucsonans about a kidnapping phone scam.
Officers say scammers are calling people, pretending they are a relative in distress.
Police describe the callers as taking advantage of people's emotions.
According to the department, a second person then takes the phone away from the "distressed family member" and demands a ransom.
Officers point out these calls may have a local area code, despite them coming from outside Southern Arizona.
The TPD released the following online:
Phone scams often focus on getting people to act quickly and off emotion.
We urge people to slow things down in order to more capably identify the authenticity of any phone call.
A quick phone call to the family member can often immediately reassure victims that the call is a scam.
Victims can also ask questions that only the real family member would know, such as names of other family members, pets, or other details unlikely to be known by the caller.
Anyone who has gotten a phone call related to this scam should report it to the Federal Trade Commission.
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Caleb Fernández is a digital content producer for KGUN 9. After earning his bachelor's degree from Penn State in Advertising/Public Relations, Caleb went to New York where he learned production assistance, photography and art direction. Share your story ideas and important issues with Caleb by emailing caleb.fernandez@kgun9.com or by connecting on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter.
