Christmas came early for an 80-year-old North Dakota grandmother, thanks to the Long Island authorities who foiled an attempt to scam her out of $8,500.
The intended victim received a phone call last week telling her that her granddaughter had been arrested in connection with a Suffolk County car crash and needed “bail money” to be released from jail, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office.
Thinking she was speaking to her granddaughter’s lawyer, the unidentified senior mailed cash through the United States Postal Service. After being contacted again by the increasingly aggressive fake attorney, the grandma contacted authorities who tracked the package to a delivery location in Shirley.
Law enforcement officers working with the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Financial Crimes Bureau and the United States Postal Inspection Service intercepted the delivery on Wednesday.
Suffolk County officials said on Friday the cash had been returned to the octogenarian, while warning other potential targets to “be on high alert to avoid becoming victims of these types of scams.”
“Before sending any monies, confirm that the one you are speaking with is indeed who they claim to be by calling them directly before taking any action,” authorities said. “Scammers rely on secrecy, immediacy and fear. Do not give out your personal information over the phone, including your banking information.”
They urged that if anyone if asked to send cash or gift cards through any mailing service, they should contact their bank or police department to report the suspicious activity.
