The California Highway Patrol has issued a stark warning to parents about the rising trend of scammers using the fear of child abduction to gain sensitive information. CHP officials said phone scammers have been contacting parents posing as “Amber Alert representatives,

The scammers offer to "register" children for the AMBER Alert system, ask for confidential information and try to meet at victims' homes, officials said.

California law enforcement is warning the public about an AMBER Alert scam circulating throughout the state. The AMBER acronym stands for the American Missing Broadcast Emergency Response. It’s an alert used to notify the public whenever a child is abducted.

Scam of the Week generally runs every Tuesday. Readers are welcome to contact reporter Jake Hutchison to report scams and potential scams they have come in contact with by calling 828-1329 or via email at [email protected].

The California Highway Patrol is warning of an AMBER Alert scam where individuals are posing as fake representatives and asking parents to enroll their children in the phony Amber Alert system.

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office (SMCSO) said it is closely monitoring an Amber Alert phone scam that seems to be targeting Hispanic residents. According to SMCSO, residents should be on the lookout for scammers posing as Amber Alert reps who offer to register their children through the alert system.