Texas Officials Want You To Watch Out For the ‘Ransom Scam’
Law enforcement officials in Texas have issued a stark warning for residents to be on the look out for the latest in a long line of scams designed to separate you from your hard-earned money. Unlike previous scams that prey on victims with easily dismissed claims, this one is just pure evil.
According to a report from KXAN, Cedar Park Police and the San Marcos Police Department have been fielding calls from residents who have become targets of what police are calling a "Ransom Scam." In this particular con, the criminals are targeting the elderly and telling them that someone they love dearly has been kidnapped and will be killed unless they pay up.
The latest example of this horrible crime comes from Cedar Park, Texas. An unnamed elderly couple got a call that started with a woman screaming followed by a man who claimed to be part of a cartel that was threatening to kill their granddaughter unless they paid a hefty ransom. Luckily, they were able to reach out to the girl's mother (their daughter) who in turn called the supposed kidnap victim. The young lady answered the call from her understandably upset mother and was able to confirm that she was at home and in no danger at all. Once the con man on the other end of the phone was found out, he hung up.
According to Cedar Park Detective Anthony Bridgewater, these criminals are specifically targeting people with grandchildren. In an interview with KXAN, Bridgewater had this to say:
They’re preying on the grandparents and they’re using that is grandparents gonna want to protect their grandkids
According to the Cedar Park police, 3 such incidences have occurred in the last month.