12/29 – 12:00 p.m. – Police took a report of an elderly person being scammed over the phone. The elderly person received a call from a male subject who identified himself as her grandson. He informed her he was out of the country, had been in an accident, had been treated at a hospital, and was now in jail. This person convinced the elder to withdraw just under $1,000 from the bank, go to a retail store in Belleville, and wire the money to the Dominican Republic.
Unfortunately scams like this are common, and certain individuals think nothing of lowering themselves to prey upon the elderly. Many scams such as these are perpetrated by individuals from foreign countries. The Millstadt Police Department would like to spread the word on such scams, so the elderly in our community are not taken advantage of.
