Fake Ransom Calls Hitting Amarillo: Tips to Verify

The fact that scams are floating around Amarillo is horrible. It’s bad enough that these scammers do everything in their power to steal our hard-earned money. They utilize every method imaginable.

It can be a simple phone call, text, email, or even snail mail. Scams come in all shapes and sizes, and that is what makes them so scary. Sometimes it is hard to tell what is real and what is not.

It gets us questioning everything, which is good in the long run. Scammers try to scare us into being in a hurry to fix things. This way, we don't stop and think. They threaten us, and now they are using our loved ones to scare us even more.

The Anatomy of a Virtual Kidnapping: How the Scam Works

It's scary the lengths that the bad guys will go to steal our information and our money. According to the Amarillo Police Department, a particularly predatory scam is currently circulating in the area:

APD Alert: Even the Police are Being Targeted by Scammers

URGENT SCAM ALERT – PLEASE READ AND SHARE

The Amarillo Police Department has recently been made aware of a serious phone scam circulating in Amarillo.
Citizens are receiving calls from scammers who know your name and claim they have kidnapped a loved one. During the call, victims may hear a girl or woman in the background crying and asking for help. The caller refuses to let you speak with the supposed victim and demands ransom, using fear, threats, and profanity to intimidate the person on the line.

One of our own APD employees received this call. Because we recognized the signs of a scam, the employee immediately verified their family member’s safety—and they were completely fine.

5 Immediate Steps to Take if You Receive a Scam Call

The Amarillo Police Department offers tips to keep you safe.

What to do if you receive a call like this:
• Hang up immediately.
• Do not send money or share information.
• Call your loved one directly using a number you know.
• Talk with someone you trust to verify the situation.
• If you are unsure, contact your local police department and ask questions.

These scammers rely on panic and emotional distress to pressure good people into acting quickly. When in doubt, disconnect and verify on your own.
Please share this information to help protect others in our community.

Stay safe. Stay vigilant. Don’t get scammed.

The Power of the Family Code Word: Your First Line of Defense

There is a safety feature that our family has used since my daughter was little to make sure we are safe. This can be used in this situation as well. We had a code word when she was little.

If anyone was picking her up from school that she didn't know about ahead of time, they had to know the keyword. My daughter would never go with someone without them knowing the code word.

The AI Factor: How Voice Cloning Makes Scams More Realistic

This kidnapping scam has even evolved to include AI-generated voice cloning, making the threats sound disturbingly authentic. So in this situation, you can ask them for the code word. If they don't know it, that would be a huge red flag.

It's scary the lengths that bad guys will go. Keep your money, your information, and most of all your family safe.