From the Isanti County Sheriff's Office:
"The Isanti County Sheriff’s Office, and surrounding law enforcement, is receiving reports of telephone scams aimed at senior citizens. These calls have been labeled the “Grandparent Scam!”
The typical call would involve a senior citizen receiving a phone call from a scammer claiming to be one of his/her grandchildren. If they don't have your grandchild's name, they will try to get you to say a name and then pretend to be that child. The "grandchild" is in a panic, saying that it’s an emergency situation and he/she needs money immediately. The sense of urgency that the scammer creates makes the concerned grandparent act without verifying who the caller is.
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be your grandchild, call a family
member first to confirm and then call your local law enforcement agency. NEVER wire any
money to someone you do not know. We cannot recover the money once it is wired.
Anyone asking you to send gift cards should also be a serious red flag.
Chief Deputy Lisa Lovering, who oversees the Investigative Unit stated “This victimization is
unconscionable. Playing off of the emotions of an elderly person is horrible.”
We want to keep our seniors safe so please share this info with your relatives so they do
not become a victim of this scam."
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