SAN ANTONIO – An attempted kidnapping-ransom scheme targeting a local senior was foiled with the help of a doorbell camera, the San Antonio Police Department said.
On March 18, a man in his late 60s went to a Broadway Bank location on Huebner Road, prepared to withdraw money to prevent his wife from being harmed.
“This gentleman received a phone call, stating that his wife had been kidnapped and that they wanted $1,000 in ransom,” said Officer Amanda Gomez, who responded to the call from bank staff members that day.
Gomez said once inside the bank, the man showed signs of being under duress.
According to the police report, he handed a note to a bank teller, who then called for help.
“He could not get a hold of (his wife). He couldn’t find her at work,” Gomez said. “I ended up going to their house and she wasn’t home.”
However, Gomez said she was able to get in touch with the woman by ringing her doorbell camera.
To her relief, Gomez said, she was able to connect with the man’s wife.
“We were able to make sure that she was ok. She was not kidnapped,” Gomez said. “When that information was relayed to (her husband), then he was okay.”
Gomez said the bank teller’s quick reaction played a big role in preventing the scam.
Karina Alderete, a spokesperson for Broadway Bank, issued a written statement, encouraging customers to stay vigilant when it comes to these types of scams.
“At Broadway Bank, our bankers know their customers, and that relationship matters, the statement said. ”In this situation, one of our bankers noticed a customer was not acting like his usual self during a transaction."
“Trusting her instinct and following established protocols,” the statement continued, “she immediately escalated her concerns.”
“Her quick action, combined with the swift response from the San Antonio Police Department, helped prevent the customer from being victimized,” the statement said.
While police were able to prevent this case, they said it highlights the prevalence of the scam targeting older adults.
Gomez said a good rule of thumb to avoid falling victim is to avoid answering calls from numbers you don’t recognize.
“As well as text messages or clicking on those links in text messages,” she said.
Police also encourage people to make sure their loved ones, particularly older relatives, are not being targeted by scams.
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