Telephone Kidnapping Scam Includes Orange County

If someone calls you, and tells you they have a family member, friend, or someone you know held captive, your first priority is NOT to rush out and send the supposed kidnappers money. Your first move is to find out who they have, and then verify that information yourself! Its called due diligence, and can save you alot of money. These scammers are randomly calling people, telling them they kidnapped someone they know, yet can't provide any info on the captive...this should be a clue! Always find out if they are telling the truth before you even consider sending money. This simple tip would have saved these people some money! These tele-kidnappers get a A- for creativity, and a D for logical strategy. For this to work effectively, the kidnappers should know details about the person they supposedly have kidnapped. Then again, its a sort of fraud that plays on the 'shock and awe' of a kidnapping threat so its really just a numbers game. Call enough people, a small % will respond with money. Always think it through!

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2011-05-24/news/os-kidnap-phone-scam-grows-20110524_1_scam-kidnapping-ransom-demand