Familiar Scam Targets Grandmother [AUDIO]

On May 7, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office took a report from an
elderly victim that had been scammed by someone representing themselves as her
grandson.  The scammer told the victim he was her grandson, he was in jail in Canada and needed $9000.00 to bondout of jail or “they” were going to keep him in jail for several months.  Another scammer representing himself as a police officer with the Ontario Police Department got on the phone and reaffirmed that money needed to be sent.

The victim tried to reach her grandson by phone but when he didn’t answer she went to her bank and withdrew $9000.00.  The scammer had instructed the victim to wire the money in two separate transactions to two separate locations.  The first completed transaction for $4500.00 was
sent to the Dominican Republic, never to be seen again.  The victim started to feel uncertain and did not send the second transaction. Hear the comments from Missoula County Sheriff Department Public Information Officer Jason Johnson by clicking below.