Californians warned to be on high alert for ‘Amber Alert’ scam

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The California Highway Patrol took to social media to warn state residents about a new scam.
Phone scammers posing as Amber Alert “representatives” offer to meet at homes and collect personal information to “register” children, but do not actually follow through with the process.
“This is not how the Amber Alert system works!” the post read.
7 stories of children who were kidnapped, survived and reunited with their families

The California Highway Patrol took to social media to warn about a new scam that is circulating. (California Highway Patrol)
The Amber Alert, part of a package of child safety laws signed by Congress in 2003, is named after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman of Arlington, Texas, who was kidnapped and murdered in 1996.
The National Alert System was established to quickly notify the public of child abductions.
Family and non-family abductions and kidnapping attempts are most common during the summer

Amber Alerts are a nationwide alert system designed to quickly notify the public of child abductions. (California Highway Patrol)
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In the post, the CHP reiterated that they are the only agency authorized to initiate an Amber Alert for the state.
The agency also advises people not to provide personal information or answer calls from “possibly scam” numbers, and to notify law enforcement immediately if contacted by a scammer.