HARLINGEN – Phony calls from people posing as one of your relatives to demand a ransom continue to target residents in the Rio Grande Valley.

Authorities say these people are experienced and can easily make you feel like if they were family.

KRGV’s Sierra Pizarro asked Cameron County Precinct 2 Constable Abelardo Gomez about the origin and frequency of these calls.

“The extortions by phone are continuing on a daily basis,” he says. “A lot of these calls that we know of are coming from prisons. So, it’s hard for us to take action, being that they’re coming from another country and prison.”  

Gomez says people should be on alert for these calls. He suggests they avoid sharing information to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Watch the video above for the full story.