News-Info-Alerts

Re: Hoax Casualty Calls Continue

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: April 10, 2003

"Red Cross warns of prank calls to military kin

By PAUL WOOD
© 2003 THE NEWS-GAZETTE

   You get a call in the middle of the night. It's the Red Cross, and your son is missing in battle ...

   And it's a strange, heartless joke.

   The prank has been pulled often enough that the American Red Cross is putting out a warning that hoaxers are calling families of known service personnel and telling them family members are missing – or even dead.

   So far, the National Guard Bureau reports, families have received such calls in Alabama, Delaware and Michigan.

   In one case, a son's mother was told her son had been killed in action, and in other cases families have also been alerted that their service member was either missing in action or a prisoner of war.

   The Red Cross is mad. The organization has set up a toll-free hot line, 1-888-309-9679, for families to call and report the phone abuse, and such information will be relayed to the police.

   The Red Cross is also asking families or individuals who receive hoax calls to immediately contact their local military liaison.

   Barbara Watson is mad, too.

   The Brocton woman, who has a son in the Marines serving near the battle front, said she wouldn't fall for such a call.

   The Red Cross doesn't call. Nobody calls.

   “It's the Department of Defense. They wouldn't call you over the telephone at all,” she says. “Whenever a young man or woman is missing or dead, a uniformed officer comes to your door.”

   She said she was glad to hear that the local Red Cross has no reports – so far. “That's very cruel. When you have a loved one over there, you're always in suspense,” she said.

   Watson said she will let other service moms know of the hoax on Web sites like marinemomsonline.virtualave.net.

   Here are services the Red Cross does - offer:

   – Providing emergency communication services and linking military personnel to their families back home.

   Emergency communication services are provided around the clock, seven days a week, 365 days a year, reaching military installations, embassies and ships at sea around the world.

   – Mobilization and deployment of Red Cross workers into (or near) the area of conflict. Workers deliver emergency messages from families at home. They also offer respite from harsh and challenging conditions and bring a touch of home to the troops.

   – Outreach to members of the National Guard/Reserves and their families.

   – Social services, including include access to financial assistance, verification of information required for emergency leave, counseling, family support and services for veterans.
   
You can reach Paul Wood at (217) 351-5203 or via e-mail at pwood@news-gazette.com.

Copyright 2003 News-Gazette, Inc."