Another Day, Another Scam; Alert from Police Chief

The Effingham Police Department is warning the public about a familiar scam call that seems to be making the rounds yet again.

Police Chief Jeffrey Fuesting advised that multiple reports were received Monday about citizens receiving an early morning phone call concerning their "grandson." A male subject, identifying himself as a “Public Defender,” explains that their “grandson” was out drinking with a friend and was involved in an accident and arrested for a felony DUI and Reckless Endangerment last night, but the judge was going to be very lenient and reduce the charges, as long as the damage was paid for immediately. The caller uses the actual name of the grandson, making it sound legitimate.

"The judge realizes they are two good boys who just made a mistake," the “Public Defender” assured the worried grandparents. The caller then gives instructions to get a Money Order from Walmart and Fed Ex it to an out of state address.

Chief Fuesting advises not to send money. In one of the reports Monday morning, the victim asked to speak to his grandson, and the phone was handed to a male subject posing as his grandson. The grandson was very distraught and thanked his grandpa over and over. When asked specific questions which could confirm his identity, he stated “I gotta go” and someone could be heard in the background yelling “Your time is up!”

The FBI reports the so-called "grandparent scam," which first appeared in 2008, is growing more sophisticated, as perpetrators easily glean personal information from Facebook and other forms of social media. This makes it all the more believable. Many grandparents have noticed that the “grandson,” who identifies himself by the grandson's first name, also sounded exactly like their grandson.

Chief Fuesting explains that oftentimes, these scam calls come early in the morning or late at night, when people are likely to be tired, and more vulnerable to fall prey to believing that it actually is their grandson.

Usually, these scams ask the grandparents to quickly wire several thousand dollars to a foreign country, or in the cases reported Monday, to send Money Orders to addresses in other states. Chief Fuesting warns that it's never a good idea to do this based on a phone call or an email. Once the money is sent, there's no way to get it back.

To prevent falling victim to this potential scam, Chief Fuesting encourages citizens to be vigilant and check any story out thoroughly, rather than acting immediately. Try to contact the grandchild directly to verify that they are okay. If that is not possible, conduct a directory search to locate a number for the jail where the grandson is supposedly being held, and contact them directly.

If you believe you have been a victim of this or any other scam, contact your local law enforcement agency to report the crime.