Kenner police are warning folks about a phone scam that starts with a recorded message claiming a loved one is in jail or injured.  Police warn it's a setup to try and trick people into giving up control of their phone number.

First of all, Lt. Wayne McInnis with Kenner Police says they would never use a recorded message to tell someone a loved one is hurt.  They'll send police to their door, instead.  And they certainly wouldn't ask someone to call a number beginning with *721, as this recording told people to do.  McInnis says that forwards your phone number.

"Once they have your phone, then (they) can have people call (them) collect on your phone!" McInnis said.  "What they would do is they would start having people call, and put collect calls on your phone and before you know it, you've got a bill."

McInnis says they don't have any reports of anyone getting fraudulent bills,but more than half a dozen Kenner residents got the phone calls, and immediately called police with their suspicions.