Police Warn About “Grandparent Scam” Again…

Authorities are once again warning the public about what is known as the "Grandparent Scam".

The Oelwein Police Department has received a report of such an attempted scam on a local resident.

In the "Grandparent Scam", an older resident receives a call from someone claiming to be their grandchild, who is in some type of distress, and calling from a long distance, such as another country.

The caller asks the resident to wire them money for medical treatment, to post bail, car repairs, or other emergency situation. It could involve thousands of dollars, and the scammer may call back hours or days later for more money.

Authorities ask that you be cautious when dealing with such a call: verify the identity of the person who is calling; hang up and call another family member for confirmation, and never wire money unless you have verification on who is actually getting the money.

Also never give out bank and personal identification numbers or credit card numbers to someone who calls you on the phone.

Anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a scam, should immediately call law enforcement.