KNIA/KRLS News has received reports of local residents getting fraudulent calls asking for money orders to be sent to free imprisoned relatives in other countries.

The scammers prey on the fears and uncertainty of the older people they tend to target. Knoxville police say recent callers have claimed that a relative is imprisoned in the Dominican Republic. Anyone who calls asking for money orders or personal information over the phone should be regarded with suspicion. Suspicious calls should always be reported to law enforcement so they can be investigated.