WASHINGTON — The Arlington County police say they broke up a kidnapping scam on Sunday, in which a woman was falsely told that her daughter had been abducted.

The police said a woman called them at about noon Sunday and told them she had received a call from a man who said he had kidnapped her daughter and would harm her if the woman didn’t give them money.

The woman had withdrawn money, but the police contacted the woman’s daughter and found out she was safe.

The Arlington County police provided a set of tips that could indicate that such a call could be a scam:

• Calls do not come from the kidnapped victim’s phone;
• Callers go to great lengths to keep you on the phone;
• Callers prevent you from calling or locating the “kidnapped” victim;
• Ransom money is only accepted via wire transfer service.

No arrests have been made yet; the police continue to investigate.