An 87-year-old man was the victim of a telephone scam, and the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office fears that more elderly people may also fall victim.
Chief Deputy Randy Christian said that the man was called by someone posing as an official with the U.S. Embassy in Guadalajara, Mexico, claiming that the man's grandson had been arrested and needed bail. Another male, who sounded like the grandson to the victim, also came on the line to beg the victim not to tell his parents. (The victim's grandson does live in Mexico.)
The victim wired $2,500 to Mexico to cover the bail. The victim's daughter, mother of the grandson, found out later and called her son; he said he had never been in jail.
Christian said that anyone receiving a call like this should take down any information from the call, then check with other family members to verify the story. Money should never be wired to any unknown party, Christian said.
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