A scam targeting elderly people is starting to show up again in Indiana County.
State Police in the Indiana barracks say that they have received three complaints of the “Grandchild In Jail” phone scam that has shown up in our area in the past. This is where the scammer contacts an elderly victim claiming to be their grandchild and that they are in some form of financial trouble, like needing money to bail them out of jail. They are then asked to provide sensitive financial information like bank account or credit card numbers to pay the bail. In the reports made to State Police, there has been no monetary loss.
Troopers remind everyone that if you do get a call like this, verify the legitimacy of the call before you provide any financial information. When in doubt, call a trusted family member or friend to discuss suspicious phone calls and to verify the legitimacy of the solicitation.
The state Attorney General’s office has tips on protecting yourself against some of these common scams. You can find that list at attorneygeneral.gov
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