Grandparents Scam targeting area senior citizens

Bemidji, MN - The “Grandparents Scam” has been around for years, yet unfortunately we still see people fall victim to the convincing nature of these scammers. Our Dispatch Center has been receiving an increase in reports of this scam today. This particular scam involves a person calling a number, typically to the older population, and impersonates their grandchildren. Many times the scammers will wait for them to answer and address them as ‘grandma’ or ‘grandpa’, giving the impression it is a family member calling.

Frequently these scammers indicate that they have been involved in some type of an accident or need to post bail and need money so they aren’t arrested. They say they don’t want their parents to find out and are relying on grandma and grandpa to help them. With enough convincing and conversation, they gain the trust of the victim and have them transfer money or provide prepaid cards. These transactions are nearly impossible to track.

If you receive a call similar to this, have them confirm their identity to you. Do not provide them with your personal information or provide them information on your family members. Ensure that your social media accounts and publicly accessible information is limited and secure. Scammers can retrieve phone numbers and family member names through pictures and profiles on social media. You can also call the family member on a known to you and trusted phone number rather than staying on the phone with scammer.

Never provide your financial or personal identification numbers to someone soliciting it on a call you did not initiate.

Please share this information with your elderly family members and friends so they do not fall victim to this scam.

-Sheriff Jason Riggs