FBI warning of hoax Mexican kidnapping scam targeting Western Pennsylvanians

A hoax kidnapping scam originating in Mexico is targeting Western Pennsylvanians, FBI’s Pittsburgh office warned Tuesday.

Over the past week, the FBI said more than 450 calls were made by someone living in Mexico to people in the area who have 724 area codes.

The scam was recently uncovered during a joint investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies alerted to the numerous bogus calls, said FBI spokeswoman Catherine Policicchio.

The FBI said investigators have determined people in Mexico are scanning social media accounts for people traveling in the Southwest border area from this region.

“They are then calling the travelers’ loved ones in our area. During each of the calls, the caller states the person’s loved one is in danger or has been kidnapped,” the FBI said.

The caller then requests victims to send money as soon as possible.

Policicchio said the agency wants to remind people to never provide any financial information to strangers over the phone. The agency also asks the public to alert family members to the fraud.

The FBI noted the telephone scammers can be convincing but their actions are criminal.

The agency recommends anyone receiving such a call should remain calm and resist the pressure to act quickly. Residents should acquire as much information as possible, including the phone number, if possible, to forward to local authorities.

However, the FBI recommends no one should wire money, particularly overseas, based on requests or threats made by strangers over the phone or via email.

Policicchio said the local FBI office is continuing to work with other local, federal, state and international law enforcement agencies to locate and arrest the people involved in the ongoing scam.

Anyone receiving such a call can make a complaint with the FBI at the internet complaint center at IC3.gov or call 800-225-5324 (CALL-FBI).