Phone scams increase amid Nancy Guthrie disappearance case 

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Phone scams person been connected instrumentality enforcement's radar for decades but successful the aftermath of the high-profile Nancy Guthrie abduction case, instrumentality enforcement crossed the state reports a emergence successful scams designed to make fearfulness and panic successful definite property groups and demographics.

"We cognize radical volition spell onto our website, there's tons of names of sergeants, lieutenants and captains truthful they'll pluck 1 of those existent names and past they'll plug it in, and marque 1 of these telephone calls, saying that they are, successful fact, 1 of our employees," said Tony Botti with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office.

And past determination are the much communal ruses scammers person agelong resorted to.

"You've missed assemblage duty, and a mode to debar going to jailhouse is to wage a fine. We've seen radical telephone saying that we cognize you person a loved 1 successful the Fresno County jail, and we tin assistance bail them out. If you conscionable wage america the bond, we'll get that process going," said Botti.

Tony Botti with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office said the bureau volition ne'er solicit wealth implicit the phone.

"Of course, we astatine the Sheriff's Office ne'er solicit wealth implicit the phone. We woody one-on-one with people, our civilian portion handles a batch of the wealth matters," said Botti. "If you ever get a telephone stating that it's the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, and we're trying to shingle you down for money, cognize that it's a implicit scam."

Law enforcement, including the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office, besides issued a informing Wednesday astir a emergence successful kidnapping and ransom telephone scams.

In Southern California, Derrick Callella allegedly utilized an app to make a fake telephone fig to substance the Guthrie family. The national ailment states helium demanded Bitcoin arsenic ransom from members of the Guthrie household successful the days pursuing Nancy's disappearance.

Scammers often prey connected the aged and those who bash not recognize English well.

"If you tin bulk idiosyncratic retired of hundreds oregon thousands of dollars, past its ngo accomplished for that scam artist," said Botti.

From telephone scams to location surveillance, different mode to support yourself from an exigency concern starts with your information surveillance extracurricular your beforehand door.

Botti advises checking your location information surveillance periodically to marque definite it's functioning close and cognize the password to stock with instrumentality enforcement if necessary.

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