Scam Alert - Beware! Hoax Caller Claiming to Kidnap Relative

The Santa Cruz Police Department is warning the public to beware of a hoax kidnapping scam aimed at extorting money from concerned relatives.

Santa Cruz Police received three reports over the weekend from distraught community members. Victims reported they had received calls from someone claiming to have kidnapped a family member and demanding cash for their safe return. This phone scam attempts to convince the victim to send money despite no actual kidnapping taking place.

All three of the calls were suspiciously very similar. The community member answers the telephone and immediately hears either a baby crying or a female adult crying. A male voice calls the victim by either their first or last name. The male then says, “This is a kidnapping listen to my instructions.”, “We are holding your family members hostage.” or “Send me money or you will never see your family members again”.

In each case, the reporting party hung up on the scam caller. Victims quickly checked on the welfare of their family then called authorities to report the incident.

The Santa Cruz Police confirmed in all three cases that the relative was not in danger.  All the victims’ family members were determined to be safe. SCPD Officers who investigated the scam calls discovered that all the phony calls were made from a blocked or restricted number.

Anyone who receives a similar call is urged to call 911 and should try to get in touch with their family member to determine whether the call is legitimate.

SCPD Police believe this phone scam is a variation of what's come to be called the “Virtual Kidnapping Scam” . The FBI has this advice to avoid being victimized by this or similar scams:

• Resist the pressure to act quickly.
• Try to contact your family member to determine whether or not the call is legitimate.
• Never wire money based on a request made over the phone or in an e-mail, especially overseas. Wiring money is like giving cash—once you send it, you can’t get it back.
  

New Phone Scam Pretending to be the Police Department

The Santa Cruz Police Department has been alerted to a new phone scam being perpetrated on parents of UCSC students.  Parents of UCSC students have received phone calls where the caller indicates their student has active warrants and owes money for the warrants.  The caller has tried to collect money for the bogus warrants.

The caller ID on the incoming call has been programmed to indicate the business line phone number for the Santa Cruz Police Department (831) 420-5800. 

These calls are not coming from the Santa Cruz Police Department.  The police department does not accept payment for warrant bail amounts.  All warrant bails are paid through the Court Clerk’s office and not the police department.  Additionally, the police department and the Sheriff’s Office do not make phone calls soliciting money for warrant bails. 

Our best advice is Never, Never, Never, Never make "payments" or reveal personal information over the phone or online to anyone you do not know. Too many crooks are trying to steal your info and they will do bad things to your credit and bank accounts.

If anyone has received such a call, please contact our dispatch center to file a report (831) 471-1131, or file an online report on our Website www.santacruzpolice.com.

If you have doubts about the authenticity of a call initiated from the police department, you can always hang up and call us at our dispatch center or business line to verify.

Historically in phone scams, callers have bullied the victim becoming aggressive and threatening.   If you receive a call where the caller bullies or threatens, simply hang up and call 9-1-1.   If it is really the police and if we really want you.....we'll be there in a jiffy. 

   

Phone Scams Once Again Making Their Way into Santa Cruz.

The latest case involved a remake on the ol’, “Your grandchild is in jail and needs bail money” scheme.   The caller impersonated a San Jose Police Officer, and ever-so courteously instructed the victim on how to use a prepaid cash/credit card from GreenDot.com. 

We have also recently heard of individuals calling and impersonating an IRS Agent asking for back-owed taxes, etc. 

The common thread in all of these scams is a request for payment through a prepaid cash/credit card or a Western Union money transfer. 

Here are some good general rules go to by EVERY TIME:

• If the caller demands payment by phone….High likelihood it is a SCAM
• If the caller wants payment using a prepaid cash/credit card…..Hang Up – It is a SCAM
• If the caller wants payment via a Western Union Moneygram or other money wire service…Hang Up – It is a SCAM

These callers are unscrupulous.  Among their favorite target are the elderly.  They will call repeatedly and oftentimes berate the victim.  Simply inform them that you have made note of their number, and are recording the call to turn over to the police.  You have our permission to record such calls for evidentiary purposes.  Then, follow up with a call to the police department to report this.    

If someone tries to use the bail money scheme, remember, you can call the custody facility and verify the information through their booking unit.  Don’t use the phone number the scammer gives you.  Look up the actual number on their Webpage, compare it to the one given, and the call the number listed on their Webpage. 

Be safe and let’s not make it easy for the crooks!