Flagler County, FL - The Flagler Beach Police Department has issued a warning for the community regarding a telephone scam taking place in the area. While there are currently no victims, community members should beware.
A phone call is placed to a grandparent who hears a person believed to be their grandchild on the other end of the line. The grandchild sounds frantic and distressed. Confusion is key to this scam, which also may have a noisy background. The grandchild expresses a problem or trouble for which immediate help is needed. The grandchild could be out of the country, possibly involved in criminal activity, arrest, a car accident or needs emergency car repairs.
The scammer requests thousands of dollars from the grandparent and may continue to call for days to get the money. The scammer asks the grandparent to keep it secret to avoid embarrassment.
The goal is money and the scammer always requests it be sent by Western Union or MoneyGram or to provide bank account routing numbers.
To avoid becoming a victim, beware of phone calls from a grandchild supposedly in another country, calls from "your favorite grandchild" or similar greetings, calls from a grandchild in distress, and callers asking for money.
If you receive one of these scam calls, remain calm. Do not wire any money and contact your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
"Be apprehensive," said FBPD Chief Matthew Doughney. "Don't send any money. Ask for a name, a callback number, and contact your local law enforcement agency. We can find out if somebody's been arrested, but once you send that money through that wire transfer, it's gone."
For more information about this scam contact Chief Matthew Doughney at 386-517-2023.
The following websites also have useful information:
The Federal Bureau of Investigation
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