FBI: Information on child migrants stolen in scam
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The FBI is investigating how con artists were able to obtain confidential information about unaccompanied child immigrants being held in Texas and elsewhere as part of a scam netting the swindlers thousands of dollars.
Special agent Michelle Lee tells the San Antonio Express-News that information was obtained for children being held at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland and at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma.
She says scammers posing as charity workers have contacted people in a dozen states who are acting as sponsors for the children. They claim that payments of $300 to $6,000 are needed to cover processing costs and travel expenses to reunite families.
The contractor responsible for the child detention operations at the two facilities, BCFS — formerly Baptist Child and Family Services — referred questions to the FBI.