Police in Fairfield say at least seven people have fallen for a fake kidnapping scam, including Dean Reid, who recounted the call he got this past Saturday morning.
He wants to tell his story so that no one else gets scammed
"We have your father held hostage. He got into a car accident with my cousin. He's a wanted fugitive in Puerto Rico," part of the call that made Reid believe his father was in grave danger
Reid continued. "He hit him with his gun. He basically pistol whipped him. He tied him up, put him in the car and took him to an undisclosed location."
A man--who was calling from a Bridgeport--said the only way to rescue his dad was to wire money immediately.
"First he asked me for $2000. I said I don't have that kind of money," Reid said. "He said $500 is not going to do. If I tell them 500 hundred I'm going to have to hang up this phone and he's going to kill your dad."
Now police are saying this is all part of an elaborate hoax
"They're very convincing. They will say anything they have to say to get you to believe they actually have this loved one or person of interest held hostage," said Detective Jason Takacs of Fairfield Police
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Reid says he wired $1000 to an address in Harrisburg, PA. It's all because he thought his father was in harm's way.
"So then I called my father and my father picks up the phone and he says how's it going," Reid adding.
It turns out his father was grocery shopping.
Reid took to YouTube with his wife to warn others so that more people don't get duped
"It seemed plausible to me. It really did," he said.
Police say the latest victim came forward Tuesday night to say she wired $4000 in this kidnapping scam.
Right now detectives don't have any suspects but think the calls are coming from Puerto Rico.
