Police warn of phone scam

CLOVIS — The Clovis Police Department is asking people to be on the lookout for a telephone scam alleging a loved one is being held hostage.

The CPD reported in a Facebook post Wednesday it had received more than half a dozen calls describing such phone calls with financial demands. Capt. Roman Romero of the CPD told The News a few callers claimed the family members were involved in car accidents, and officers responded to each call for service as a precaution but found nothing to validate any of the claims.

The department believes the calls to be from criminal enterprise groups outside of the country who will compile information on a person through social media and other open sources, then use that information to identify them to family members.

Calls should be reported to the CPD at 575-763-7791.