From Manassas police:
Abduction Phone Scams
Between Dec. 9 and Dec. 14, 2016, Manassas City Police received at least two citizen reports of an attempted phone scam involving the alleged abduction of a family member.
On Dec. 9, Manassas City Police was dispatched to Wells Fargo, located at 9210 Church St, for a report of a suspicious event. Upon arrival, officers learned an adult male of Chantilly had just withdrawn a large sum of money from his bank account while asking the bank staff to contact Police. The victim, who was on the phone at the time, told officers that he had an unknown male on the other end who claimed to be holding his daughter hostage in exchange for the money. With the assistance of Fairfax County Police Department, officers were able to make contact with the victim’s daughter and confirm that she was safe at home.
On Dec. 14, Manassas City police met with a resident on the 9000 block of Euclid St for a report of a suspicious event. Officers were received by the reporting party, who was on the phone with an unknown male at the time. The caller claimed he had abducted the citizen’s daughter and was demanding money for her release. Officers immediately made contact with the citizen’s two daughters, who were both safe and had no knowledge of the alleged abduction.
In both instances, the citizen who reported the crime told officers that the caller produced the sound of a young woman in distress on the other end of the line.
