EDGERTON, Kan. — A man who outsmarted a scammer who called him with the claim that he was holding the man’s brother hostage, is warning others not to be fooled if they receive a similar call.
The man known as “Woody” received the phone call on Tuesday, Feb. 4. The caller claimed to be holding his brother hostage and wanted $2,000 wired in exchange for his brother’s freedom. According to police, the caller was adamant the man stay on the line while retrieving and wiring the money.
Woody told FOX 4 that he managed to flag down some deputies for assistance. They heard him on the phone with the scammers and he says they recognized the phone number from other scams.
The scammer told Woody his brother had been involved in an accident with the caller and that the brother owed $2,000 in damages.
Woody says the deputies confirmed his brother was okay and not the victim of a kidnapping.
The Johnson County, Kan. Sheriff’s Office asks anyone receiving questionable calls to contact law enforcement and reminds people never to give money over the phone to people they do not know.
