The Indiana State Police would like to warn the public about a phone scam that has been reported recently in central Indiana, but happens annually all across the state. Recently some elderly residents have been swindled out of money by out of country con artists that are calling from phone numbers in the U.S. and Canada.
The scam targets grandparents with the subject calling the victim stating he is a grandson and is in trouble, usually in Canada, and needs cash wired right away. The “trouble†calls have ranged from the grandson being arrested to being hurt in a car crash and needing money for treatment.
The caller is quick to ask grandparents NOT to call mom or dad and let them know, so investigators warn would be victims to always call relatives to check up on the situation-even when the caller tells you not to.
Remember, never wire money without verifying the situation with relatives. In addition, never give out personal information like dates of birth, social security numbers or bank account numbers over the phone. Victims have lost funds ranging from the hundreds to thousands of dollars to this scam.
If you get a call from a number you don’t recognize, let it go to voicemail. If they don’t leave a message, it was probably a scam call generated by computerized automatic dialer set to dial thousands of numbers, looking for a victim who will answer and believe their phone story. If you feel you’ve been a victim, the FBI website for filing a complaint is www.ic3.gov, or you can call your local State Police Post.
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