Message from The Police Department - Grandparent Scams

Recently, the Police Department has received two reports of fraud where the perpetrator telephoned a resident and reported an emergency involving a family member. Both become victims that were scammed out of several thousand dollars.

This scam is typically referred to as the “Grandparent Scam.” The perpetrator will telephone or email the victim and may either report or pose as a relative who has been involved in some type of accident, arrest or some other fictitious type of trouble. The caller will then ask the victim to wire funds to be used to cover bail, attorney’s fees or some other expense. In some cases, the perpetrator will offer to send someone to the residence to collect cash.

For additional information, visit www.fraud.org and www.consumer.ftc.gov. Anyone receiving such a call, should contact the Police Department at 201-891-3131.