(Spirit Lake)– Local authorities are again issuing a warning about the so-called “grandparent scam”.
Several people in the area, most of them older residents, have reported receiving phone calls from someone purporting to be their grandchild that has gotten into trouble with the law in a foreign country and needs money wired to them to get bailed out of jail.
In one case that happened today (Mon.), the caller claimed he was incarcerated in Barcelona, Spain after he was taken to the country by some friends who supposedly paid for his trip.
Authorities say it’s nothing but a scam, and that they’ve had several reports of such calls being received by people in our area in recent days.
Anyone receiving such a call should report it to local authorities. They should also contact the grandchild or his or her parent to double-check they are okay before taking any other action.
One resident who received such a call in Spirit Lake this morning was nearly scammed out of almost three thousand dollars.
