Nancy Guthrie Sheriff Sounds Alarm Over Twisted New Scam

A disturbing new scam is now targeting people following the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, nearly six months after the 84-year-old mother of Today anchor Savannah Guthrie was reported missing.

The Pima County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning after fake fundraiser posts began circulating on social media, using the high-profile missing-person investigation to try to trick people into sending money.

“The Pima County Sheriff’s Department is aware of posts circulating about the Guthrie Investigation that include a QR code requesting money,” authorities said in a statement. “PCSD will never ask for money related to this case or any investigation.”

Officials urged the public not to scan the QR code, not to send money to strangers and not to let scammers exploit concern over the case.

“Ignore it and report it,” authorities warned. “Stay alert and help spread the word.”

The scam has added another disturbing twist to a case that has already been plagued by suspicious ransom demands, alleged hoaxes and unanswered questions.

Nancy Guthrie was reported missing on February 1 after she failed to show up at a friend’s home. Authorities responded to her Catalina Hills residence in the Tucson area, and nearby agencies, including Border Patrol, were brought in to assist with the search.

Investigators later said evidence suggested the case was more serious than a standard missing-person report. Authorities obtained video footage showing an unidentified individual on Nancy’s front porch in the early morning hours, and she is believed to have been abducted from her home. No video showing Nancy leaving the residence has been released publicly.

As the investigation unfolded, scammers and bad actors quickly appeared to latch onto the family’s fear and the public’s attention.

Soon after Nancy vanished, a series of ransom messages reportedly surfaced demanding Bitcoin in exchange for her return. While some were initially taken seriously, others were quickly dismissed as hoaxes.

One California man, Derrick Callella, later pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment using a telecommunications device after calling and texting Nancy’s family on February 4 about a Bitcoin transfer.

Authorities advised the family not to send money, even as the family publicly offered to pay a ransom in the hopes of bringing Nancy home. They ultimately did not make the payment.

The FBI later confirmed the ransom messages were not believed to be legitimate.

“None of the ransom notes are believed to be genuine,” an FBI official told Reuters.

The strange activity surrounding the case did not stop there. A truck was also reportedly seen driving through Tucson with an advertisement featuring an AI-altered image of a woman wearing a face mask, calling on the public to help with the investigation.

As of June 30, sheriff’s spokesperson Angelica Carrillo said there were no major new developments to share.

“We don’t have any updates, other than this is still an active investigation,” Carrillo said.

The case has also reportedly sparked tension between local officials and the FBI. According to Reuters, federal officials claimed Pima County authorities were initially hesitant to allow FBI assistance, especially when it came to testing key evidence.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos denied those claims in an interview with KVOA, saying the disagreement centered on how much evidence should be tested.

“Actually, the FBI just wanted to send the one or two they found by the crime scene, closest to it – mile, mile and a half,” Nanos said. “I said, ‘No, why do that? Let’s just send them all to where all the DNA exist, all the profiles and the markers exist.’ They agreed, makes sense.”

Nearly six months after Nancy Guthrie vanished, the search remains active, the questions remain painful and the family is still waiting for answers.

A reward of more than $1 million is being offered in the case. Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI.