[Photo: FBI]
FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Virtual Kidnapping, a phone scam to con money out of victims, is hitting close to home.
Jim Munson is the father of on-air radio personality Erica Pierce (photo below) from KMJ’s sister station Kiss Country 93.7.
“Starts off with a girl screaming, and crying hysterically saying; ‘Hi Dad, how are you?’ ” said Munson. “Pretty soon, a guy takes the phone away from her and says ‘Hi, I have your daughter I’ve kidnapped her and I do two things because this is my job, I either get money from you or I kill her.’ ”
The FBI says the scam was once limited to Mexico but now more than 80 victims were identified in California, Idaho, Texas and Minnesota, where Munson lives.
Collective losses were more than $87,000, according to the FBI, and it always involves some type of extortion.
Munson said they tried to make him go to an ATM, “You walk to your car, and we’re going to go to the bank,” they told Munson. “And I said ‘wait a second, first of all I can’t go right now I have some responsibilities at work.’ They continued, ‘Do you want your daughter alive?’ “I said yes, “Well, then you gotta go.’ ”
Munson called his daughter Erica’s husband and found that she was okay.
“Even so, it’s really, you know, it’s a scary situation,” said Munson.
Now, virtual kidnapping has evolved so that U.S. residents anywhere could be potential victims, with scammers cold-calling hundreds of numbers until innocent people fall for the scheme. They try to keep victims on the phone so they can’t verify their loved ones’ whereabouts or contact law enforcement.
Callers are always in a hurry, and the ransom demand is usually a wire payment to Mexico of $2,000 or less, because there are legal restrictions for wiring larger amounts across the border.
The FBI has Tips if you receive such a phone call:
- Don’t call out your loved one’s name.
- Request to speak to your family member directly.
- Ask questions only the alleged kidnap victim would know.
- Don’t agree to pay a ransom, by wire or in person. the FBI says delivering money in person can be dangerous.
- Hang up the phone.
If you suspect a real kidnapping is taking place or you believe a ransom demand is a scheme, contact your nearest FBI office or local law enforcement immediately.
Tips to the FBI can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov. All tipsters may remain anonymous.
Click to listen to the report by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
