Be wary of phone calls seeking money to bailout family members who are supposedly in jail or in trouble out of the state or country.
Eugene Police have learned of several incidents where the victim sent money to assist with the legal fees or bail for “family members” who are allegedly in trouble in Canada (or other country/state), later to find the circumstances were fraudulent and the “troubled” family member had no idea of the incident.
The scammers also seem to target military families whose loved ones are currently serving in the armed services, according to Eugene Police. Scammers have even had limited personal information about the affected family member.
The caller provides several clues that point to a scam in the works: 1) the money is needed immediately; 2) the family member is in a foreign country or location that the individual was unaware of; and 3) the caller insists on secrecy.
Before sending any funds – independently confirm the details. Check the location of the individual. Ask personal questions of caller that may trip up scammers.
To receive information on current scams in Oregon, visit the Oregon Attorney General’s website. To report an incident involving an out-of-the-area scam or fraud suspect, visit the Internet Crime Complaint Center website.
NOTE: MyEugene is also aware of a similar scam happening through email, which appears to be sent from someone you KNOW…someone in your contacts list.
Photo Credit: annais
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