Date: December 1, 2016
Scam Alert – Kidnapping Hoax:
Shaler Township, PA –
Scam Alert: On 11-30-16 at approximately 4 pm the Shaler Police received a report from a Shaler Township resident that her daughter had been kidnapped and the actors were demanding money in order to release the daughter. The daughter is a student at a university in another state. The call was initiated by a female, who was crying and the mother thought that it was her daughter. A male caller then got on the phone and made the demands for the money. When the male caller told the resident not to call the police or they would hurt their loved one, the resident did the right thing and called 9-1-1 and alerted the Shaler police.
We Urge All RESIDENTS To Reach Out To Their Police Department by calling 9-1-1 REGARDLESS of What A Caller May threaten. In order to stop these scams residents must alert police.
After the Shaler Township Police arrived, the mother was able to make contact with her daughter and found out that she was safe and not a victim of a kidnapping.
The Shaler Township Police want to make residents aware of these types of scams that are out there and to call 9-1-1 if you receive these types of calls. If it is possible, ask questions of the caller that only your family member would know the answer to. Please attempt to make contact with the involved family member after calling 9-1-1.