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Kissimmee police see spike in phone scam

KISSIMMEE, Fla. — A phone scam that police said targets the Hispanic community in Kissimmee has claimed more victims.

Police said they’ve received six reports since the beginning of February from residents who have received a phone call in Spanish, informing them that a family member has been involved in an accident or has been kidnapped.

They said in the kidnapping call cases, the caller demands ransom money from the victim and threatens to harm the family member if the conditions are not met.

Channel 9’s Julie Salomone talked to one of the victims who told let her listen to a frightening voicemail that said the victim’s husband was in an accident in Puerto Rico and they needed money for doctor’s bills.

It was scary enough to for the victim to call back.

The victim said the caller knew a lot of information about her family and she has no idea how.

That victim didn’t hand over any money, but police said there have been cases where people paid hundreds of dollars to the scammers.

Detectives have asked the public to attempt to verify the caller's claim by requesting the name of the abducted family member.

They said even if victims verify that their family member is safe, detectives want citizens to report the incident immediately.