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Last month an 83-year-old man got a phone call from a "public defender" who claimed the man's grandson was in a lot of trouble after police arrested him on a reckless endangerment charge, Boston police said. The fake lawyer said the octogenarian would need to fork over thousands of dollars to bail the young man out of jail.
He sent the money, but none of it was real.
Boston police said the call came in from the 151 Tremont St. area. A surveillance video captured the person officers say made the call. Officials described him as between the ages of 35-50, 5-feet-10-inches tall, with an average build.
Investigators ask anyone who may know this man to contact detectives at 617-343-4571.
This is a common scam that targets the elderly. Do not send anything if the caller asks for the money via gift card, prepaid card, or wired to a specific Western Union office, the AARP says. These calls often come late at night to confuse the victim.
If a caller says your grandchild is in jail and needs bail money, hang up and call that jail to verify the specifics.
If you receive one of these scam calls, record the phone number and report it to the Federal Trade Commission by calling 1-877-382-4357. File a report with your local police department as well.
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