A local woman was bilked out of $2,300 after being tricked into thinking she was sending money to a grandson in need.
The woman wired the money, purportedly to a grandson who told her he had recently been arrested in Spain, said Mike Ford, community resource officer with the Iola Police Department.
Scams such as the one that swindled the Iola woman, whose name was not released, typically begin with the caller reaching an elderly person identifying himself only as “her grandson,” Ford said.
When the woman guessed the name, the scammer quickly adjusted his conversation, pretending to be the grandson she named to continue the ruse.
Ford noted the woman in this case has a great-grandson serving overseas in the military, making his fabricated story about being arrested all the more plausible.
The case is being investigated by the Chanute Police Department, Ford said, because the woman wired the money from Chanute.
“But I think it’s important we get the word out to people around Iola,” Ford said, because another elderly resident reported a similar call this week. That potential scam was thwarted when the resident became suspicious and the caller immediately ended the call.
Ford is eager to visit with local groups, including senior citizens, who tend to be targeted by swindlers more frequently than other age groups.
He can be reached at 365-4960.
