Police Investigate Fake Kidnapping Scam in Sioux Falls

A caller demanding $1,000 falsely claimed a woman's daughter had been kidnapped, but officers confirmed the daughter was safe.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Drug Crime

Police Investigate Fake Kidnapping Scam in Sioux Falls

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Sioux Falls Police investigated an attempted kidnapping scam targeting a woman after a caller falsely claimed to have kidnapped her daughter and demanded $1,000. Officers contacted the daughter and confirmed she had not been kidnapped, and no money was lost.

Why it matters

The case illustrates a fraud method in which callers use threats and the apparent voice of a family member to pressure victims into rapid payments. Residents of Sioux Falls are reminded that such calls can be convincing even when no abduction has occurred.

Officers confirmed the purported victim was not kidnapped and that no money was lost, and the case remains under investigation. The identity of the caller and whether the MoneyGram payment destination in Mexico was ever reached have not been disclosed.

The players

Sioux Falls Police Department

The municipal police agency of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, responsible for investigating local crimes including fraud and extortion schemes.

The details

A caller told a woman that her daughter had been kidnapped, threatened to kill the daughter if she did not comply, and demanded $1,000. The caller said a man had instructed the woman to meet the supposed kidnappers at a business near 85th Street and Minnesota Avenue and to send the money via MoneyGram to someone in Mexico. The woman reported hearing what sounded like her daughter's voice in the background before contacting police.

Police received the scam call on Friday, November 6, 2026, before 11:30 a.m.

Legal Context

Sioux Falls police handled this case within the pattern the FBI has repeatedly described as virtual kidnapping extortion, in which scammers fabricate abductions and demand rapid payment from relatives. Such schemes are typically prosecuted as fraud and extortion rather than as actual kidnapping, since no victim is taken.

Residents receiving unexpected calls claiming a family member has been kidnapped should hang up and contact the family member directly before sending any money. Police confirmed the daughter was safe, but the same tactic can succeed when families cannot quickly verify a loved one's whereabouts.

The takeaway

Before sending money in response to an urgent call, verify the claim by reaching the supposed victim through a known number. Scammers rely on fear and speed, so a short pause to confirm can prevent a loss.