KENOSHA, Wis. — A Kenosha family is warning others after a heartbreaking scam left their elderly grandparents without their savings and no way to get it back.
Emily Jacobs said her grandfather was outside doing yard work last week, when two men in a gray truck pulled up and offered to do cement work. The nearly 90-year-old couple believed them.
"They asked for payment upfront, which is a red flag, but my grandparents just didn’t know that,” Jacobs said. "It's devastating for this to happen to anyone."
Jacobs said her grandmother had gone into the home to grab cash from their safe, but left the door open. Moments later, the second man allegedly entered through a side door, found the bedroom and stole everything.
"It seems like they’re targeting kind of a more vulnerable population so that’s disappointing and it’s sad," Jacobs said. "It’s heartbreaking that my grandparents had to go through that, they're some of the best people in the world.
The men left without doing any work. The family said they made off with hundreds of dollars.
Watch: Kenosha woman warns others after men posing as workers stole from her grandparents
Jacobs shared the story in a viral Facebook post, hoping to track down the suspects and warn others. She said the men were wearing face coverings and drove off in what appeared to be a gray pickup truck. Police are now investigating.
“If sharing this helps even one person talk to their loved ones, their grandparents, their parents," Jacobs said. "I thought at the very least that’s something that I could do. If it could help someone not be affected by the scam and spread awareness about it."
Jacobs owns Fancy Snacks Charcuterie in Kenosha, and TMJ4 News first spoke with her last fall when she made and donated lunch boxes to Roosevelt Elementary after a school safety scare. Now, she's using her voice again, to protect the people she loves.
If you recognize the truck or have any information, contact Kenosha Police.
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