The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office says an old scam has resurfaced in the county in which elderly citizens are being preyed upon and swindled out of large sums of money.
Several citizens are reporting as to having received a phone call from someone claiming to be a relative or a representative of their relative.
The caller is telling the citizen they, or whom they represent, are incarcerated, and need money. Police say an elderly citizen received one of these calls last week. Being concerned about the relative, the citizen continued to speak with the scammers throughout the day as they provided additional directions.
The citizen proceeded to withdraw a large sum of money from a banking institution. That same day, a white male named “Ethan”, wearing black clothing and sunglasses, arrived at the citizen’s residence on foot to collect the money.
The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging all citizens to speak with their elderly family members and friends to make them aware of the scam.
Police are encouraging all citizens to speak with their elderly family members and friends to make them aware of the scam.
- Be suspicious of strange out of the norm telephone calls.
- Don’t act quickly; scams are based on fear and urgency.
- Never reveal personal information.
- Stop and talk with a trustworthy person.
Police ask the public to report all frauds, scams, and bad business practices to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/.