POUGHKEEPSIE – A phone scam targeting grandparents has resurfaced and the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office Detective Division has issued an alert.
Victims are receiving phone calls from persons disguising their voices and identifying themselves as the victim’s grandchild. The caller claims to have been arrested and jailed on drug charges saying they can’t talk long and need assistance. The caller provides a call back number and then the call is terminated.
When the grandparent calls back, someone identifying themselves as a member of local law enforcement answers telling them that bail is set at $8,000 to $10,000. The grandparent is offered a discount bail of $2,000 to $3,000 if it is paid immediately. They are directed to go to a local pharmacy or supermarket and buy several thousand dollars worth of eBay gift cards in amounts ranging from $250 to $500. The grandparent calls back and is told to scratch off and provide the redemption codes from the gift cards.
The sheriff’s office has a number tips for people to avoid getting snared in the scam:
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- No law enforcement agency or county jail accepts gift card redemption codes as payment for bail.
- No law enforcement agency or county jail provides discount bail if “paid immediately.”
- If someone calls you and tells you that a relative has been arrested or is in jail, call other relatives or a legitimate enforcement agency for confirmation before sending any money. If they’re posing as a relative, try and contact that relative for confirmation.
- If an unknown person calls you asking for money, for any reason, that may be an indication that it’s a scam.
- If there is any doubt about a phone call you have received, contact the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office at 845-486-3800 before sending any money.
The sheriff’s office is investigating. If anyone has any information regarding those incidents or if you are a victim of this crime, you are urged to call Detective Kurt Twaddell at 845-486-3828 or by email at ktwaddell@dutchessny.gov. The sheriff’s office can also be contacted on its tip line at 845-605-CLUE (2583) or by email at dcsotips@gmail.com. All information will be kept confidential.
