Pasco deputies: threatening calls about captured relatives are - WFLA-TV Newschannel 8

Pasco deputies: threatening calls about captured relatives may be scheme to defraud

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PASCO COUNTY, FL -

Pasco County Sheriff's Office investigate a possible scheme to defraud that involves international phone calls and money transfers, investigators told us.

PCSO deputies said, as a part of this scheme, people get a phone call that their relative in Puerto Rico is captured. The callers demand a large sum of money wired to them to release the relative.

Some times they ask to buy a gift card, a prepaid money card or a phone card, deputies said about the callers.

Investigators advice, anybody who receive such a call should check on their relatives first to make sure they are safe. If they can't reach their loved ones, they should call law enforcement, deputies said, but not send any money.

In every instance citizens should try to gather as much information as they can about the callers and make sure to pass it to a local law enforcement agency. This will help trace and stop the callers, PCSO deputies told us.

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