Grandparent Scam With a New Twist

DUBUQUE, Iowa – On May 7, 2020 a citizen reported a new twist to the grandparent/grandchild scam to Dubuque Police.  The citizen received a call from an individual posing as her grandson. The citizen was told her grandson had been in an accident in the Chicago area and needed cash immediately to settle court costs.

The citizen was instructed to withdrawal $16,900 from her bank account, place the money in a shoebox and take it to a local UPS store where a shipping label was prepared and waiting for her.  After the money was sent the citizen received a second call requesting an additional $22,000.  The citizen’s bank believed she was being scammed and stopped her from withdrawing any additional money. 

We have seen similar versions of this scam, however, using UPS to send cash is a new spin.  If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a family member in desperate need of money resist the urge to act immediately and contact a trusted family member.
 
See the link below for scam prevention tips.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0204-family-emergency-scams

# # #