I was called today. Person said my brother was in car accident outside his house and had asked the guy to call me. He wanted to know my brother's name so he could tell if I "was a relative." I know my brother and he would call 911 not me, so I told the guy that I knew it was a scam and I hung up.
I called the Bridgeport police (the phone number is a cell phone that traces to Bridgeport, CT) who say they are aware of the problem and say they get several calls a day about calls of this nature, and recognized the phone number. The officer seemed very "not much we can do". I work in New York, so this would qualify as a federal crime. Extortion.
same call here, July 7th. Phone number 203-260-7695. Same MO, same script as everyone else that posted. I basically asked them questions about my "kidnapped father" and when he refused to answer I just hung up.
Called today JULY 21. This was our conversation
him: hi your father got in a bad car accident.
me: you're calling my dads cell, I picked it up cause he's not around.
him: i said brother.
me: what car
him: a truck
me: not a van?
him: yes a van
me: what color?
him: white
me: no you got the wrong number
him: okay bye
btw he said he name was robert
POS needs to get a life, if he calls again I'm gonna curse him out so bad my dad says the same number called a week ago, he usually doesn't pick up numbers he doesn't know. I would've been furious if I were one of these people who actually paid that guy and went to the police, it's pathetic that he hasn't been stopped yet. honestly, how hard is it to track a number down and go there? I mean they do this all the time in different situations what's so complicated about this one?
Background:
I am a teenage girl and have been away from home for about a month for school. I have not seen any of my family members since I left home.
I received a call this afternoon. The man described in previous posts told me that my brother had been in an accident and was severely injured. I was immediately alerted because the last time I spoke to him he was in the car with my mother. I immediately ran outside of my office for some privacy. When he told me he was holding my brother hostage and demanded $15k. I ran into a nearby office motioning for the secretary to be quiet and waving my hand as though writing on an imaginary slip of paper. When she handed me a notepad I wrote, briefly explaining the situation. She got her boss who called the cops. When the officers arrived they explained to me that it was a scam and hung up the call.
After being informed of the situation my mother drove up here with my brother. I had never felt such a relief.
This was hands down the scariest experience of my life. I cannot begin to contemplate the amount of evil someone must harbour inside of them to even consider to carry out such a cruel deed. Needless to say, I'm glad it was a hoax because I love my little brother and I don't know what I would do without my best friend.