MEXICO CITY (AP) — Inmates at a Mexican prison made extortion telephone calls to Mexicans living in several U.S. cities, often claiming to be relatives, prosecutors said Monday.

Jalisco state prosecutor Eduardo Almaguer said the fraudulent phone calls targeted Mexicans living in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and cities in Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee and elsewhere.

Almaguer said a group of about 10 inmates made the calls using prohibited cellphones.

There is a technique used in Mexico to make fake kidnap calls in which a muffled or indistinct cry for help convinces some people that a relative is i...