Grandkids in trouble is scam

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The Hudson Police Department is warning residents about a scam that is targeting seniors by preying on their love for their family.

According to HPD Det. Sgt. Eric Atkinson, there have been several reports of area seniors receiving calls from people identifying themselves as law enforcement. The caller says that the senior’s grandchild has been involved in an accident or some other trouble and, in order not to be charged or held in jail or to get medical treatment, the grandparent is asked to send money via credit card, wire or bank account. The calls have come from Canada or from the southern states.

Atkinson said anyone receiving a call like this should get as much information as they can from the caller and give the caller no information about them including any credit card or bank numbers or a social security number.

“Anyone receiving this kind of a call should let us know immediately. If they can get information about where the person is calling from, where the so-called accident or problem occurred and where their loved one is at the time of the call, that information could be of some help in the investigation,” said Atkinson.

According to one local woman whose parents received a call last week, the caller said he was from the police and that their grandson has been in an accident and was in a Canadian jail. They were even allowed to talk to their “supposed” grandchild. The grandparents were asked to send a money gram to cover damages to a rental car the grandson was driving and if paid, no charges would be filed. The caller followed-up a short time later with the grandparents to confirm the money was sent.

It didn’t end there. The caller contacted the grandparents a second time for more money saying a judge ordered that damages must be paid to the owners of the other car involved in the accident. The grandparents contacted their daughter before sending any additional money and she told them the calls were a scam.

Anyone with information about this scam or who has received a call like the one described above, contact the HPD at (715)386-4771.

Tags: news, scam