OHIO COUNTY, Ky. — The “Grandparent Scam” is making it’s way back around in Ohio County, according to the Ohio County Sheriff’s Office.
Here’s how the scam works, victims of the scam receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a grandchild in an out-of-state jail. Then a second scammer joins in, pretending to be an attorney or law enforcement officer. The second scammer confirms the fake grandchild’s story and asks the scam victim to immediately wire money or send cash to pay for bail.
The OCSO offers the following tips to help you not become a victim of this scam:
— Never trust anyone who randomly calls and asks you to send money via wire transfer, gift cards, cash or other hard to trace methods of payment.
— Ask the caller questions only the real grandchild could answer correctly.
— Ask the caller to confirm what state and county jail they are being held and independently contact the jail to confirm.
— Try to call the real grandchild to verify, or call a related family member at a known phone number to confirm the grandchild is traveling.
If you have any information about the “Grandparent Scam,” you should report it to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection hotline at 888-432-9257.