Local News

Big Money Scam Alert

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police are warning people about a telephone scam where at least one victim was taken for $9,000.

 

Police said elderly residents are being targeted.

 

According to police, a Wanatah woman in her 80’s was contacted March 2 by a man claiming to be her grandson, who needed $9,000 to bond out of jail after arrested for causing a motor vehicle collision resulting in injuries.

 

She then received six more calls from a man claiming to be an attorney, who shared pretend information about the bogus case and falsely informed her a bail bondsmen would show up at her doorstep to collect the money.

 

Police said the woman went to her bank and withdrew the funds.

 

After returning home, a man claiming to be the bondsman arrived and she gave him the money to post bail for her grandson.  Police said the woman learned she was scammed after calling her actual grandson, who reported being at work and not involved in any traffic accident.

 

In response, the woman called the numbers used in the scam listed on her caller ID but was informed they were no longer working numbers, police said.

 

To avoid becoming a victim of such a scam, police officer Mike Kellems said people should call the police or jail to verify if they had any dealings with their loved one.  He said people can also go online to find out if a loved one is incarcerated.

 

People can also call a relative to find out if they believe such a story could be true, he said.

 

Kellems said con artists also like to work fast to try and pull off a scam, but people can take charge by slowing down the conversation and start asking questions.

 

“Stop, slow down and verify,” he said.

Weather Center

High School Scoreboard

Sports Scores

Facebook