October 2, 2026 – Turlock Police Department officials report that over the past month, several parents have
received suspicious calls from an unknown person claiming that their student was abducted and demanding money for the student’s release. The Turlock Police Department and the Turlock Unified School District remind parents that these calls are hoaxes designed to obtain money. The calls may sound realistic. In some cases, the caller may play sounds of a juvenile in distress or send graphic photographs to pressure you into sending money. The caller may know your child’s name, school, and even your address. Remember, this information can be found online and through social media platforms.
If you receive one of these calls, remain calm and hang up after the caller makes a threat. Call your student’s school to verify that they are safe. Once you have verified that your student is safe at school, block the number. Scam callers will usually move on if they do not receive a desired response. The phone numbers used for these calls are created through private networks, making them difficult for police to trace.
𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗗𝗢:…