Lubbock Mother Faces Terrifying Phone Scam, Shares Safety Tips

An estimated 53 billion scam calls are made to Americans yearly, making them more vulnerable to fraud. Scammers are devising new ways to target their victims, often using scary techniques, advanced technology, and artificial intelligence.

Jennifer Knox, a mother from Lubbock, fell for one of these scams when she got a call that she called "every parent's worst nightmare." "The first sound I hear is what sounds like a scared little girl crying. Oh my God!" Knox said, "Like, 'Mommy, help me.'" The man who called, an adult, said he had her daughter and would take her to Mexico.

Knox recorded the call, which made the con artist angry, thanks to the new iOS18 call recording tool. After he hung up, Knox quickly called her kids' schools, and the administrators told her that they were safe.

Knox said, "It was a mix of relief and anger" when she found out her kids were safe. "You have to be really bad to do that to someone."

Knox wants families to discuss safety rules, like creating a unique "safe word" that can mean danger. "Now we have a specific phrase that both their dad and I will know right away," she said.

Knox's experience shows how important it is to be alert and ready to protect your loved ones as scams get smarter.

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