Grandma, Grandpa, I’m in jail and need help.
I’m not a grandparent, but I can imagine how receiving a phone call like that would trigger many emotions. That is what the scammers are going for; to get your emotions to override clear thinking. Over the past week we have taken three fraud calls that all used the grandparent approach. In two of the calls money was sent by the victims who thought they were helping a grandchild in need. In neither case was the grandchild in trouble. The loss in the two cases was $18,000.00 in each instance. We will investigate, but the chance of recovering any funds is slim.
Please remember, law enforcement agencies and jails will never ask for cash to be mailed. Sometimes the scammer says they are a lawyer trying to help. While I’m not a lawyer, and I don’t play one on TV, they are not going to pressure you to send money in the mail either. If it’s legit, I would have to believe they would ask for a cashier’s check or some sort of legitimate electronic transfer. Not cash, not gift cards, not Google Play cards, etc. If you get this type of call, the first reaction should be to call the child’s parents and then law enforcement. The scammers never quit. Let’s get the word out and stop them.
Stearns County Sheriff’s Office
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