GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KJCT) — The Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD) is alerting the community to a phone scam involving fraudulent kidnapping claims.

GJPD has received reports of a scammer calling residents and falsely claiming their loved ones have been kidnapped or are being held against their will and demanding immediate payment via wire transfer.

To add credibility, scammers use the names of the victim’s loved ones. In addition, scare tactics and a sense of urgency are used in an attempt to pressure victims into sending large sums of money before they have a chance to verify the claims.

In the reported incidents, the victims fortunately called law enforcement and verified that the claims were false.

The GJPD advises you to do the following if you receive this type of call:

• Stay calm and resist the urge to react out of fear.
• Verify the claim by contacting the concerned family member.
• Avoid sending money or financial information. Scammers frequently ask for bank transfers, cryptocurrencies or prepaid gift cards, which are difficult to trace.
• Contact local law enforcement to report the call.
• Warn others who may be vulnerable to this type of scam.

Anyone who has fallen victim to this scam or received a suspicious call should call non-emergency dispatch at 970-242-6707.

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