Imagine for a moment you receive a phone call from the number of a loved one you see on caller ID.  You are told that loved one has been kidnapped.  You hear horrible noises in the background like screaming and yelling.  You are told that any attempt to contact law enforcement will result in the immediate death of the person held at gunpoint.  You are not allowed to speak with your loved one, but are instructed to use a service like Zelle or PayPal to make an immediate payment to save the life of your loved one.

Fishers Police say this is a scam, using spoofing or mirroring methods to make it look like the phone call is from the cell phone of your loved one.

If you receive such a call, here is what local law enforcement recommends:

–Immediately hang up and call 911. Police will perform a welfare check to ensure your loved one’s safety.

–Never pay any ransom and immediately report suspicious activity.

Police are also offering the following safety tips to help avoid becoming a victim:

–Make certain the security settings on your social media accounts, are set to the highest security level locking accounts from be viewable by non-approved friends.

–Suspects are using social media to conduct research.

For example, a Fishers resident who was a recent victim had their Facebook account unlocked and viewable to the general public.  That allowed the suspects to identify friends and family.