San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials advise the public to be aware of a recent scam that aims to target parents by allegedly claiming their children have been abducted.
Several victims in various cities throughout the county have reported receiving phone calls from unknown suspects claiming their child or children have been abducted over the last week, officials said in a news release.
The suspects threatened to harm or kill the children if victims did not cooperate with their demands and allegedly had personal knowledge of the intended victims, including their children's names. The suspects claimed to be monitoring police scanners and warned potential victims that they would know if law enforcement was notified, officials said.
A child was allegedly used as a decoy for some of the scam calls, with the suspects instructing the child to cry and beg for help over the phone, officials said. The suspects would then instruct victims to proceed to a bank, withdraw funds, and transfer the funds to them. The victims were kept on the phone during the entire transaction, officials said.
There have been no verified kidnappings to date, officials said.
Authorities urge anyone who may have information regarding the suspects or may have received a similar call to verify the whereabouts of their child or children and immediately notify 9-1-1 or Sheriff's Dispatch at 909-387-8313 or 760-956-5001.