'The Call Sounds Very Real': Police Warn Of 'Cruel' Kidnapping Phone Scam

WRENTHAM (CBS) -- Police in Wrentham are spreading the word about a kidnapping scam that resulted in a "frantic 911 call" on Monday.

According to authorities, a woman said she received a call from a man who said he had kidnapped her adult daughter, who was vacationing at the time. The caller said he would kill her daughter unless the mother transferred funds for her release.

"The call sounds very real," Wrentham police wrote in a Facebook post. "The 'kidnapper' allows you to briefly hear/talk with your loved one who sounds hysterical and difficult to understand over the phone."

The FBI has been warning about these kinds of "virtual kidnapping" scams for years.

Police explain that the scammers, often based in Mexico, will comb social media to find a traveling family member who may be difficult to reach immediately.

"The scammer hopes you (the victim) will transfer the funds under extreme pressure and emotion before you can locate and contact your loved one and confirm it's a scam," police said.

Anyone who gets one of these calls should dial 911 immediately so police can investigate.