Attorney General Roy Cooper: Kidnap Scammers Use Fear


North Carolinians in the Triad area are receiving startling telephone calls from scammers who claim to have kidnapped the person’s child. In the background of some calls, someone pretending to be the child can be heard pleading for help while being roughed up by the would-be kidnappers. The scammers threaten to harm the child if a ransom isn’t paid immediately.

The scammers provide a lot of personal information about the kidnap victim, to convince the person that they are actually holding their child. Parents whose children are grown have also received these calls. Regardless of the age of the alleged victim, the scammer’s goal is to scare the parent so badly that they pay the ransom before checking to see if their child is actually missing.

If you receive such a call, hang up and call, text or email your loved one to confirm that they are safe. Then report the attempted scam to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division by calling 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or filing a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.

 

This message brought to you on behalf of North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper.