LAKEPORT, Calif. – An elderly Lakeport woman lost thousands of dollars on Saturday after being targeted in a phone scam.
The Lakeport Police Department said the 91-year-old woman lost $3,800 to con artists working out of New York state.
The agency said Officer Mike Sobieraj investigated the case involving two con artists using the “grandparent scam.”
In this case, police said a female subject called the victim and advised her that she was her granddaughter, had been arrested and needed money wired to New York to post bail.
Police said a male subject then got on the phone and advised the victim he was the arresting officer and told her she needed to wire money for bail.
The victim made two Western Union wire transfers of $1,900 each prior to learning this was a scam, Lakeport Police said.
Although this scam has been around for some time and has been reported on by law enforcement and the media, there are still persons who may not be aware of it or the tactics used by the suspects, according to police.
“We are reporting on this case in an effort to prevent others from becoming victimized,” the agency said in a Saturday night report. “Our victim requested that we warn others and we commend her for her concern for her community.”
Police urged citizens that if they receive a call like this, do not send money. Contact your grandchild or another family member directly to confirm the status of your grandchild and notify your local law enforcement agency.
To learn more about the “grandparent scam,” visit this Federal Bureau of Investigation report: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2012/april/grandparent_040212 .
The Lakeport Police Department asked for the community's help in spreading the word about the scam in order to prevent more people being victimized.