Police warning Boston parents of kidnapping scam

Boston Police issued a community alert Saturday warning parents of a kidnapping scam.

This alert comes after at least three parents of students who are enrolled in Boston public schools received phone calls from someone who tried to trick them into paying ransom by falsely claiming their children were in danger or had been kidnapped.

“The scammers had information about the parent’s child, including their name, and demanded the parent send money through Western Union,” Boston police said in a statement. Police did not identify the parents or say whether any of them had paid money to the scammers.

Police said the scammers generally target parents or grandparents into thinking that their child is in danger so that they will pay a ransom. “In some cases, the scammers can have very detailed information and use that to convince a parent/grandparent that the scam is real,” said officials.

Parents are being advised to be careful about posting information publicly on social media and to talk with their children about protecting their privacy online.

Parents should also report any scams to the police immediately, the statement said.

“If you receive a scam call, immediately hang up the phone and do not reply to any suspicious emails, calls, or texts,” police said. “Do not reply to any urgent messages demanding money, especially if the person is demanding money through Western Union, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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