Fake Notes, Real Mystery: FBI Debunks Ransom Claims in Nancy Guthrie Case

The Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case just took another strange turn. The FBI has determined that the ransom notes flooding media inboxes—including several received by this outlet—are all fakes. But here’s the catch: federal investigators aren’t saying how they figured that out, leaving a lot of unanswered questions hanging in the air.

Back in February, a masked man caught on doorbell camera grabbed the 84-year-old Tucson, Arizona resident from her home. Since then, TODAY show host Savannah Guthrie has made repeated public pleas for her mother’s safe return. But instead of legitimate communication from a kidnapper, what’s arrived are notes that don’t hold up to scrutiny—at least not according to the Bureau.

The scam attempts have been relentless and bizarre. One man alone sent nearly a dozen emails claiming he had intel on the kidnapper’s identity and Nancy’s whereabouts, but only for a price: one bitcoin. His first message, sent just days after the abduction, emphasized urgency. The next day? Suddenly time was no longer pressing—he claimed Nancy had died and been taken to Mexico. He wanted the money to disappear and avoid being implicated by authorities. The contradictions are glaring, and apparently the FBI caught them too.

What makes this development significant is what it doesn’t tell us. The case is still active, still unsolved, and now investigators have to sift through a pile of fraudulent communications while the real leads—whatever they may be—remain murky. For Savannah Guthrie and her family, every fake note is another false hope dashed. The FBI’s determination brings some clarity to the noise, but it doesn’t bring Nancy home. That’s still the mystery that matters.