Scammers fake teen kidnapping for ransom

LAGUNA BEACH, Calif. – Southern California police say scammers are hitting a new low and it’s a “con” they want parents to know about. It involves children who’ve allegedly been kidnapped.

One woman made a big payment because she thought she was helping rescue her daughter. That woman, who wanted to be identified only as “Andrea,” said, “Honestly, it was the most horrific thing that’s happened to me in my life.”

It was a phone call last month from Andrea’s 19-year-old daughter—she was sure of it. The panicked voice was Audrey who was far away at college at the University of Oregon.

“It was a nightmare from the beginning,” Andrea said, “Hearing my daughter a voice, screaming for help that she was in a van.”

But it was not Audrey on the phone at all. Although this Irvine mother didn’t know it for 6 1/2 terrifying hours.

Police say the criminals who orchestrate these virtual kidnappings—and there have been several reported in Orange County—use the voice of a male or female screaming. Parents, in a panic, hear danger and then comply with demands for money to get their child back.

“I said, ‘I’m going to call police.’ Then one gentleman said, ‘Andrea, this is a kidnapping, we have Audrey, here is what is going to happen. If you want to see her again, you’re gonna get us money.’”
So for hours, Andrea zigzagged in her car in four cities, making withdrawals as a pair of men screamed and swore at her. She said if she hung up the cell phone the suspects said there would be trouble.

Following orders, Andrea brought thousands of dollars to RIA in Santa Ana, making a money transfer to Mexico. She wired more money from another business, and then the last thousand was done at a Rite Aid in Newport Beach. It was $4,500 in all.

“I want to let all parents know if a phone call comes through, from a number they don’t recognize do not answer that call,” Andrea said.

If you get a call like that, you should be suspicious if the call does not come from the alleged kidnapping victim’s phone and if the caller tries to prevent you from hanging up and contacting the victim.

Here are some more tips from police: In most cases, the best course of action is to hang up the phone. If you don’t want to risk ending the call, drive to the nearest police station and try to remain calm. Buy time by repeating the caller’s demand and telling the caller you need to write things down or need time to complete the transaction. Attempt to contact the kidnapped victim via phone, text, messaging app or social media. Ask to speak to the victim, ask questions only they would know. Ask the caller to call back using the victim’s phone.

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