Threat Scam Sends Roswell Man to Peachtree City ATM

A Roswell man told Roswell Police he was threatened over the phone March 14 by someone claiming his daughter would be harmed if he did not send money.

According to the report, the man received a call from an unknown number and said he heard a voice he believed was his daughter’s. The caller initially demanded $6,000, then reduced the amount to $1,000 when the man said he could not pay.

The incident appears to be a form of “voice phishing,” a scam in which criminals use technology to mimic or recreate a familiar voice to make threats more convincing.

He was instructed to go to an ATM at La Mexicana Tienda Taqueria in Peachtree City and transfer the money.

After returning home, the man found his daughter safe, the report said.

Police say the case reflects a growing wave of scams using threats and urgency to pressure victims.

“We’ve had hostages. We’ve had ‘I’m stuck in a foreign jail. I need bail money.’ We’ve had ‘you missed jury duty, and there’s now a federal warrant for your arrest,’” said Peachtree City Police Department spokesperson Lt. Chris Hyatt. “There’s all kinds of new scams that come up almost on a daily basis.”

Hyatt said scammers often operate overseas and rely on volume to succeed.

“They can sit there and call 1,000 people, and if they get one person duped into it, you know, they make their money for the day,” he said.

Recovering lost money is rare, particularly in common payment methods used in scams.

“If it’s anything else, like the gift card scams or a Western Union, there’s almost zero chance of getting that back, because that money is gone the moment they enter it,” Hyatt said.

Hyatt said the most effective response is simple: pause and verify.

“If you get a phone call, regardless if it comes from their phone number or not, hang up and immediately contact them at the number you have,” he said. “Ninety-nine percent of the time, you’ll find out it’s a scam immediately.”

If a situation feels urgent or threatening, he said to contact authorities right away.

“Hang up and call 911 or keep them on the line and call 911 from another phone,” Hyatt said.