BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – One Botetourt County father received a call many would describe as a parent’s worst nightmare.
Parke Slater is a retired law enforcement officer.
On Tuesday, it was a typical day when he received a call from a number with a Mexico area code.
He said he didn’t think much of it because he gets calls all over for work.
When he answered he answered the phone, it was a startling call from his daughter.
“I immediately heard my daughter’s voice,” said Slater. “She was sobbing. Saying she had been kidnapped and pushed into a van and needed help.”
“I started to ask some questions and immediately a male came on the phone and said they had abducted her. I was suspicious because I had heard of other A.I. scams, so I asked what her name was,” he said.
Slater tells 10 News the caller did not know the name of Slater’s daughter, which is when he decided to hang up.
Slater was right to be skeptical.
“Even though I knew it was a bogus call, as a parent, it does make your heart leap. So, I did call my daughter and found out she was ok,” he said.
But some people aren’t as quick-thinking or lucky as Slater.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, these types of imposter scams are the most common reported cases of fraud.
In 2022, the FTC reported nearly $2.6 billion was lost in the U.S. from these kinds of scams.
“Well we’ve certainly been hearing about it for some time, but it does seem to be increasing in number,” said Virginia Tech Professor, Cayce Myers.
Myers said there are ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from similar scams.
“Asking a question, a detailed question about the individual is one way to identify if this is really occurring or not,” he said.
Other things to keep in mind, pay attention to if there are long pauses in the conversation.
This could indicate the call is being cloned.
Slater is a clear example, if this can happen to him, it can happen to anyone.
“Here I am, a career in law enforcement,” said Slater. “And if I can be alarmed, certainly other people can be alarmed and duped. And we can do something to prevent that.”