A scam targeting older individuals has drawn the attention of the Kansas Attorney General’s office.
According to Coffey County Sheriff Randy Rogers, two people in that county have already fallen victim to the scam.
It starts with a phone call from a male caller either claiming to be a grandson in jail or a bail bondsman calling on behalf of a grandchild. The caller claims that the relative needs $2,500 to bond out of jail and they request that the money be wired to the caller through Western Union.
Crawford County Sheriff Sandy Horton said that there have not been any recent reports of such a scam in the county.
“I can recall, over the years, some inquiries as to whether grandkids were in jail or not,” Horton said. “They would call first to see if they were in jail so that they would not fall prey to the scam.”
Horton added that while the scam may be occuring, the solution to the problem is very simple.
“It occurs every once in a while, but it is easily solved because it is public record,” Horton said. “They just need to call the jail to see if they are actually in jail.”
The Attorney General’s office recommends that people who receive such a phone call take time to investigate the claim and do not wire any money to an individual unless it is someone you trust. In addition, people should not give out their account information to anyone who insists on immediate payment and people should not be rushed into making any decision.
“If they know what county jail they are in, that makes it easier to check,” Horton said. “I think all facilities have similar policies as ours in allowing ample phone calls to allow the person booked to make arrangements to bond out. That is part of the booking process.”
If you receive a similar call, report it immediately to local law enforcement or to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-432-2310.
