MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Madison police are reporting an uptick in scams targeting elderly victims, most recently where the scammer will send someone to collect the cash.
In an incident report Wednesday, the Madison Police Department explained that these scams, sometimes referred to as “grandparent scams,” typically start when the victim receives a call from someone pretending to be their grandchild or a loved one.
The scammer will sound panicked and may ask for help, claiming they’ve been in a car crash or are in trouble. MPD said the caller will then ask for money and tell the victim to deliver it without telling anyone what they’re doing.
MPD said recently, they’ve noticed the caller will say they’re sending a “courier” to get the money.
Scam callers have also asked for bank or credit card information, or will ask the victim to go to a Bitcoin ATM to finish the transaction.
MPD urged the community to remain aware when it comes to these potential scams and offered these tips (wording theirs):
- If you are receiving a phone call from a number that you don’t know and the person on the other end claims to be a relative, it is ok to hang up and try to reach that relative at a known phone number. This pause can save you the headache of being scammed!
- If someone is claiming to be in legal trouble or at a jail, ask them which jail or facility they are at. Then, make a phone call to verify if that is the case by contacting that jail/law enforcement agency directly!
- If…
