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Scam calls made to elderly couple [UPDATED]
Published 9:46am Tuesday, December 11, 2012 Updated 11:57am Tuesday, December 11, 2012The son of an elderly Otter Tail County couple called the Sheriff’s department to report that his parents had received two calls from people claiming to be associated with the Becker County Sheriff’s office, asking the couple to send money to get one of their relatives out of jail.
The couple did not send money.
OTC Sheriff Schlueter said this scam has been tried in various forms over the past four years.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety makes these recommendations to avoid being scammed:
• Verify the caller’s identity. Don’t provide names or other information. Ask something that only the grandchild would know to verify that it really is your grandchild calling.
• Verify the location of the family member by calling another family member or friend.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers depend on immediacy and will emotionally leverage love and embarrassment to induce their targets to wire funds quickly.
If you think you have been a victim of a scam, please contact your local Police Department.
You are also asked to report the suspected fraud to the Minnesota Alcohol and Gambling Enforcement Division (AGED). To contact AGED, you can call them at 866-347-0911 or visit www.MnScams.org
Always be wary of anyone who calls you asking for personal information &/or for money. These dirtbags will change their mode of business as soon as their current scam is identified and the public is alerted.