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Arizona Sheriff warns of QR code scam tied to Guthrie case

Published 14 July 2026

Authorities in Arizona have issued a public warning about a new scam attempting to exploit the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie. The Pima County Sheriff's Department stated on July 14 that fraudulent social media posts are circulating with QR codes soliciting money, falsely claiming to support the search for the missing 84-year-old.

Sheriff Chris Nanos emphasized that the department will never request financial assistance from the public for this or any investigation. Officials urged people not to send money to unknown individuals or scan payment-related QR codes, advising the public to ignore and report such posts instead.

This latest scam alert marks another instance of fraudulent activity tied to the high-profile case. Nancy Guthrie, the mother of "Today" show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie, was reported missing from her Catalina Foothills home near Tucson on February 1. Authorities have said evidence recovered from the scene, including bloodstains confirmed to be hers and signs of forced entry, led them to treat the case as an abduction. Doorbell camera footage from the early morning of February 1 showed a masked, armed individual tampering with the...

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