‘Sick and disgusting’ scam targeting parents shows up again in Tri-Cities

Parents are being targeted by scammers claiming their child has been kidnapped and demanding money.

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Pasco issued a warning about the new round of phone calls.

Along with the demands for money, scammers also play a recording of a child crying for help.

The call appears to be a local number, but is being generated from outside of the U.S., said officials.

“This is a sick and disgusting spam call that gets parents very upset,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook post. “Please don’t fall for this.”

These virtual kidnapping calls have been used in the Tri-Cities and in other areas of Washington state and the U.S.

The callers will try to rush their victims to make a payment.

Officials tell parents to hang up and call police immediately if they believe their child has been kidnapped. To report a scam call a police non-emergency number.