FARGO, N.D. (KFGO) – Fargo police received a call from a frantic mother yesterday, reporting her son had been kidnapped. Police say it’s a new scam to this region, called “virtual kidnapping.”

The victim received a call while she was at work from a 701 area code phone number. The male said her son owed them $15,000 and he had kidnapped him.

During the phone conversation, a police officer was able to make contact with her son and confirm he was safe. Another similar incident occurred in Cass County.

Last week, a Bismarck woman was the victim of the same scam, paying $900 to an man who claimed he had kidnapped her son. After the call, she contacted her son to find he was fine and had no idea what she was talking about.