(La Porte County, IN) - Another victim has fallen for a big money telephone scam police are warning the public about in La Porte County.
According to La Porte County Police, an 89-year-old woman on March 2nd was called by a man claiming to be her nephew. The imposter told her he was in jail in Indianapolis and needed help but his attorney would call her back with further details and make arrangements.
Police said she later received that call and a man posing as an attorney requested $10,000 for the charges in the case to be dropped.
The Coolspring Township woman retrieved the money from her bank account and returned home where she gave the money to a man walking up to her door under the belief he was going to use the cash to help her nephew.
The next day, police said she was called again by a man pretending to be the same attorney seeking $15,000 this time to lift a gag order in the case and have her nephew released from custody.
Again, the woman went to the bank and as instructed sent the funds to an address in Atlanta, Georgia by Fed Ex.
Police said the woman realized she was scammed when she called her real nephew who told her to call 911.
Last week, a Wanatah woman was taken for $9,000 when told her grandson needed the money to bond out of jail following his arrest for causing a motor vehicle crash with injuries.
A similar looking man wearing dark clothing and sunglasses approached her door and was given the money supposedly to post bond. Police advise people to avoid falling for a telephone scam to:
- Be suspicious of strange out of the norm telephone calls.
- Don’t act quickly; scams are based on fear and urgency.
- Never reveal personal information.
- Stop and talk with a trustworthy person.
