Authorities are investigating a scheme that nearly cost a Castle Shannon couple $2,200.

Officials said Toni and Bill Ruth received an urgent message from a company calling itself Johnson York saying they were going to have their daughter arrested for a loan she had applied for.

Toni Ruth gave the company her credit card number to pay for the loan without realizing she was being scammed.

“I felt threatened. It’s a family member so your first instinct is to protect the person,” Toni Ruth said. “In my mind I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s going to be arrested.’”

The Ruths said minutes later they found out their daughter never took out a loan and immediately called fraud protection.

The Castle Shannon Police Department said it is investigating the incident, but it's very difficult to track such companies.

“What they do is prey on your emotions and they catch you off guard. They tell you one of your relatives owes money,” Castle Shannon Police Chief Ken Truver said.

Channel 11’s Alan Jennings called the phone number that tried to scam the Ruths and was told he would have to talk to a supervisor.

The Ruths said they had special fraud protection on their credit card and the entire $2,200 was refunded by Chase.