WAUKESHA COUNTY -- The Waukesha County Sheriff's Department is warning residents after receiving a report of a phone scam.
In this latest scam, the Sheriff's Office received a report from "Jennifer" of Pewaukee and said a scammer called her claiming to be her grandson. The Sheriff's Office says the scammer knew Jennifer's grandson's name and number. The 'grandson' claimed to be calling from jail and in need of bail money. He asked Jennifer not to share that information with his parents because of embarrassment.
Luckily, Jennifer did not fall for the scam and called the Waukesha County Sheriff's Department.
Unfortunately, scammers often target older people because they think they will buy into their emotional appeals. Scammers think they will be able to get something out of grandparents by claiming to be a grandchild in distress.
Waukesha County Sheriff's Department shared the following tips on how to handle a call from a relative asking for help.
- It is important to take a breath and remain calm.
- Make sure you ask the caller for information such as their name and phone number.
- Confirm the facts by consulting with family members as well as the law enforcement agency.
- Bail can only be paid at law enforcement agencies, so if the caller is asking for bail money to be sent elsewhere, that is a red flag.
- After confirming with the sources, you can either respond to the situation if it was a real emergency or be thankful that you avoided a dangerous situation.
