A once-popular scam has resurfaced in Charlotte County, known as a virtual kidnapping. Residents reported multiple incidents to the sheriff’s office last week.
The scam works something like this: a caller tells you that they have kidnapped a relative- usually a child- and will then ask for ransom money in the form or a wire transfer, Green Dot money card, or Apple iTunes cards.
Police say these types of scammers will usually scour unprotected social media sites to learn about family members in order to seem more credible. Anyone who gets one of these calls is asked to call the Charlotte Co. Sheriff’s Office.