Parents beware: Racine County sheriff warns of child abduction phone scam
(Photo by Matthias Balk/picture alliance via Getty Images)
RACINE, Wis. - The Racine County Sheriff’s Office is issuing a warning to residents after they recently received a complaint of a phone scam.
About the scam
What we know:
According to the Racine County Sheriff’s Office, a resident received a call from a blocked number where the caller falsely claimed to have abducted her daughter, a student at a local school.
The caller spun a fake story regarding a drug deal gone wrong and pressured the mother to drive to a nearby store, where he stated he would hand her daughter back.
What they're saying:
'Thankfully, the mother did not fall for the scam. She contacted the school directly and confirmed that her daughter was safe and at school. There was no emergency," said the Racine County Sheriff’s Office.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
What you can do
Dig deeper:
If you receive a call claiming that your child or loved one has been kidnapped or is in danger:
- Stay calm.
- Do not provide personal or financial information.
- Do not follow the caller’s instructions or get into your vehicle to meet them.
- Hang up and independently contact your child, their school, or another trusted person to verify their safety.
- If you believe there is an actual emergency, call 911.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by the Racine County Sheriff's Office.