It can be a parent’s worst nightmare — a phone call with someone on the other end claiming to have kidnapped a child, demanding a ransom.

It’s a scenario straight out of a movie, but it happened last week in Richfield when a woman answered a call from the Cayman Islands.

“There was crying in the background,” said Police Chief Trent Lloyd. The daughter who the person claimed to have kidnapped had just changed phones, so the mom couldn’t immediately call and confirm it.

It was a worrisome couple of minutes, but eventually the daughter was found safe — eating lunch at a local drive thru.

“Everything was OK, but it did give the mother a scare,” Lloyd said. He said the call was another tactic being used by scam artists to try and extort money out of people.

He said at least one other of the kidnapping claim calls was made in Sevier County last week.

Other tactics used by phone scammers include calls claiming —

• To be a grandson or daughter stuck in jail and needing bail money.

• There is a warrant of arrest that can be taken care of by wiring money.

• To be from the IRS demanding payment over the phone for overdue taxes.

• To be a utility company demanding money over the phone.

“It’s frustrating,” Lloyd said. He said when people fall for the scams, there is little police can do about it as the money is wired out of the country.