HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — It's a mother's worst nightmare -- getting a call telling you that your child is in danger.
It's what happened to Maritza earlier this month. She asked to conceal her identity out of fear for her safety.
On Nov. 14, she said someone called her and claimed to be a fentanyl dealer. They said they had her daughter.
The caller initially said her daughter had been in an accident. She said she heard a voice saying, "Mom, come get me," but when she asked where her daughter was, the callers changed their story.
They then told her that they were involved in trafficking fentanyl and weapons and her daughter had witnessed a transaction and couldn't be allowed to snitch. They demanded $10,000 and threatened to send her body to Mexico if she didn't comply.
"Somoes traficantes de fentonlino y de armas. Y su hija nos vio en una transacion. Nosotros no podemos tener testigos," Maritza said.
She said she called her daughter, but no one answered.
Maritza was at work when she got the call and said she complied with the demands. Desperate to save her child, she emptied her accounts and wired the scammers all the money she had. After sending them $770, the scammers told her to wait until she heard back from them.
The whole time, though, her daughter Natalie was at work.
"I was very busy that day," she said.
Natalie finally called her mother back, but it was too late.
"I was very shocked at first, because, I was like, 'Wait, what?'" Natalie said.
Investigators said they expect scams to increase in frequency during the holidays. They want people to be aware.
"They will prey on your heartstrings," Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Deputy Jose Garza said.
They said a major red flag is when callers insist on keeping you on the phone throughout the conversation.
"They are going to continue to push and push and if you don't send the money right now or right this second, you will never see your family again," Garza said.
It was a painful lesson for the family.
"We didn't even get groceries for that week," Natalie said.
Authorities said that if you find yourself in a similar situation, don't panic. When in doubt, call law enforcement and report what's going on and they'll help track down your loved one.
Natalie started a GoFundMe account to help her mother recover the money she sent to the scammers.