On Thusrsday, June 21, the Rio Grande City Police Department released a statement warning residents not to fall for a phony kidnapping phone-call scheme.
"The Rio Grande City Police Department has been taking reports of residents receiving calls where a loved one has been kidnapped," reads the statement. "This is an aggressive and sophisticated phone scam. Callers claim to have your loved ones held captive and victims have heard in the background the yelling of a woman or man asking for help. Caller will go as far as letting you speak to your supposed loved one so that they could plead for help."
According the RGCPD, the scammers have been placing the calls throughout the mid-morning to early in the morning in an attempt to catch their victim’s off-guard. "Throughout the call you will be rushed into the instructions and feel as though you do not have time to verify the alleged kidnap. These con artists can sound convincing when they call and may know a lot about their targets and under no circumstances will let you hang up. The phone numbers that are being used are untraceable and possibly foreign numbers. We ask all residents to be aware of these types of phone calls. If you have any relatives that are elderly and live alone we ask that you inform them of these scams so that they will not be a target. If possible set up their phones where they are not allowed to receive private or unknown calls."
Residents who believe that they have received these calls should contact their local Police Department. The Rio Grande City police department is located on 402 E Main St., and can be reached by dialing (956) 487-8892.
