Thu, Aug 11th 2022 08:00 pm
Submitted on behalf of Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn is issuing a warning about a reported scam that recently victimized a resident in the Town of Lancaster. Perpetrators commit this crime, commonly known as the “grandparent scam,” by using various tactics to emotionally manipulate their victims in order to fraudulently obtain money while hiding their true identity.
Last week, the victim, a male in his 50s, received a phone call from an individual who claimed to be his child. The caller stated they had been arrested following a vehicle collision, which resulted in injury to another person. The caller asked the victim for cash for bail. After the initial call, the victim received a second phone call from a person who claimed to be a bail bondsman who would send a courier to pick up the money from the victim. The scammer obtained approximately $9,200 in cash.
Erie County residents have also reported being contacted by scammers who falsely claimed to be:
√ An IRS representative seeking payment for owed taxes;
√ A utility provider threatening to cancel service;
√ A Social Security Administration official reporting fraudulent activity;
√ A bank or other financial institution requesting personal information;
√ An online retailer seeking information regarding an unauthorized purchase;
√ A sweepstakes representative seeking payment in order to distribute a prize;
√ A…
