The Everett Police Department and
the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office are warning citizens about a kidnapping
scam going around in the county and the city.
The police agencies say that people
have been receiving a phone call where the caller claims that they have kidnapped
a child or other relative and demand a ransom. To add a sense of realism, the
victim can hear someone screaming in the background.
Several citizens have reported
receiving a call from the scammer. The caller is always male and the victims
all heard screaming in the background. In one case, an Everett resident had
been told that his 23-year-old daughter had been kidnapped and the caller
demanded $30,000 in ransom.
The police agencies also note
that the calls come from area codes in Mexico (525 and 528). In June of 2016, the
FBI noted similar false kidnapping calls (called in the area as “virtual kidnapping”
extortion calls) in the San Antonio, Texas area.
The FBI provided the following
guidance should you receive a kidnapping call.
To avoid becoming a victim of
this extortion scheme, look for the following possible indicators:
·
Calls are usually made from an outside area code
·
May involve multiple phone calls
·
Calls do not come from the kidnapped victim’s
phone
·
Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the
phone
·
Callers prevent you from calling or locating the
“kidnapped” victim
·
Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer
service
If you receive a phone call from
someone who demands payment of a ransom for a kidnapped victim, the following
should be considered:
·
Stay calm.
·
Try to slow the situation down.
·
Avoid sharing information about you or your
family during the call.
·
Request to speak to the victim directly. Ask,
“How do I know my loved one is okay?”
·
Request the kidnapped victim call back from
his/her cell phone.
·
Listen carefully to the voice of the kidnapped
victim if they speak, and ask questions only they would know.
·
If they don’t let you speak to the victim, ask
them to describe the victim or describe the vehicle they drive, if applicable.
·
While staying on the line with alleged
kidnappers, try to call the alleged kidnap victim from another phone.
·
Attempt to text, or contact the victim via
social media.
·
Attempt to physically locate the victim.
·
To buy time, repeat the caller’s request and
tell them you are writing down the demand, or tell the caller you need time to
get things moving.
·
Don’t directly challenge or argue with the
caller. Keep your voice low and steady.
Everett PD and the Sheriff’s
Office recommends the following:
·
Try to write down the number of the caller, then
hang up.
·
If you cannot immediately verify the whereabouts
of your allegedly kidnapped family member, call 911 and ask for assistance from
law enforcement.
Snohomish County Sheriff’s
Office/Everett Police Department:
