SANTA BARBARA, Calif.- Authorities are warning people on the Central Coast not to fall for the "Grandparent Scam."
According to the police department this is how the scam works:
An elder is contacted by telephone by someone purporting to be their grandchild or other relative. The elder is told that their grandchild is in a foreign country or other faraway place and is in some sort of legal trouble; such as having caused an injury traffic accident, and is about to be jailed. The grandchild states that in order to avoid incarceration he or she needs to pay a sum of money, usually several thousand dollars, to cover bail, fines, or legal fees. The elder is asked provide the money and is instructed to mail cash or transfer funds via Western Union or similar service to a distant address, usually overseas.
In some instances another person involved in the scam, usually one purporting to be the grandchild's attorney, also speaks to the elder to further convince them of the need to immediately wire funds to prevent their grandchild from going to jail.
Recently in Santa Barbara one elder lost $6,500 and another lost $6,200 to this fraud. In those instances the victims sent their money to perpetrators in Canada.
