Steve Woodhouse, The Knoxville Journal-Express, Iowa –
Knoxville An elderly Knoxville couple is out $3,070 after falling victim to a telephone scam.
Knoxville Police Chief Dan Losada reports that the couple, who asked to remain anonymous, received a telephone call early in the morning of Jan. 17. The individual on the other end of the line claimed to be their grandson.
His story was that he was in a Mexico City jail and he needed money for bail. He requested the couple not tell his father about the legal troubles. A second individual also participated in the call, claiming to be a public defender. They asked for $2,900.
The couple went to their financial institution and withdrew the money. They wired it to an address in Mexico City.
After this, the couple received more phone calls, asking for more money. When this started, they called their son, who told them that the grandson is not in jail, nor Mexico.
Losada said scams such as this target the elderly, due to their desire to help grandchildren and their reluctance to call and possibly upset their loved ones. He has referred this case to the Attorney General’s Office.
Losada would like to remind everyone to verify the facts before sending money upon request.
