Troopers Remind Public To Be On Alert For Phone Scams

Location: Residences in Sussex County

Georgetown – Delaware State Police Financial Crimes detectives are reminding the public to be on alert for phone scams that have been targeting the elderly recently.

Detectives are investigating several cases where elderly residents of Sussex County have received calls from someone purporting to be a grandson, claiming to be in Mexico and in need of money. The caller often claims the money is needed for bail, due to a car accident, or to purchase an airline ticket to leave the country. The caller usually says that he is too embarrassed to call his parents.

Several victims have wired money to Mexico, only to realize that their grandson was never in that country. These victims have suffered substantial financial losses, often wiring thousands of dollars at a time.

Detectives remind anyone receiving a call asking for money to follow these tips:
Verify that whoever you think is asking for money is actually abroad. Call the parents or another relative. Most victims later realize their relative was never traveling.
Ask the caller questions that only your relative would know.
Obtain a phone number at which you can call back the caller.
If you feel you must pay for something abroad, attempt to do it with a credit card, instead of wiring the money. This makes it easier to identify the recipient and rescind payment.
If you are skeptical about the caller, talk to a neighbor or friend about the call before sending any money.

In these scams, it is very common for the victim who has sent money to receive continuing calls, asking for more money. Anyone who believes they have been a victim should be very cautious about sending any more money, and contact the police.