Scammers Targeting HP Residents
From Highland Park DPS spokesman Lance Koppa:
I was alerted this morning by our CID Commander of a scam that is targeting individuals by phone. The story line is the same: A phone call is placed to your home phone. The caller will report that your son/grandson/daughter/(insert relative here) is in jail. The caller will even provide a city to you.
In our most recent case the city given was Houston. Once the caller gives you the location they will then direct you to make a wire transfer of money for the relative to,”…secure their release from jail.” Our last resident that received these phone calls notified HPDPS. The resident informed the responding officer that she was given a specific name and address in Mexico City to wire the money. While the officer was at her home taking the report the subject called back. The officer identified himself to the caller and he promptly disconnected.
Our department has not received a sudden rise in these reports; however, we wanted to make you aware of its existence. Some individuals have wired money under the false belief that their relative is in trouble. This is just another attempt to victimize people by deception.
Moral of the story? Never answer the phone, ever.
Moral of the story: Don’t be a sap.