Egregious example of a scam

It is considered a frequently tried telephone scam and this one, according to the Oconee Sheriff’s Office, was partially successful for the criminal.  It stands as a warning to any grandparent to beware.  County deputies were made aware of a scam in which the victim was notified by a call from out of state that her grandson was being held in jail in regard to a traffic accident.  The caller asked the victim for $8,900 dollars to post bail for the grandchild.  The victim sent the money through a delivery service.  Later, another call.  This time the caller wanted an extra $21 thousand.  A relative advised the grandmother that this was a scam, so the additional money was not sent.  Master Deputy Jimmy Watt, public information officer for the sheriff’s office, says, “If you receive a call from a family member who tells you they are in jail, or a call from someone claiming to be law enforcement or an attorney representing a family member who claims to have been arrested, and they request money for bail or attorney fees, we recommend that you contact other family members to see if they know if that family member has been arrested.  Do not send money to anyone, even if they claim to be a family member, unless you have verified the information as legitimate and positively identified the family member who is contacting you.”