NEW CASTLE COUNTY, Del. - New Castle County Police released a warning for older adults to be aware of a scam in which suspects pose as children or grandchildren in need.
According to the police, scammers are requesting money for bail or medical bills due to an accident or major incident. Police encourage people who receive calls from someone claiming to be a grandchild, child, or someone speaking on their behalf like an attorney or doctor, to slow down and not make rushed decisions about sending quick payments. Scammers will often ask for payment in the form of pre-paid gift cards and wire transfers.
Scammers use social media to look up personal information about targets and their families to create believable stories about events, nicknames, vacation plans, and more.
Police say you can protect yourself by asking additional questions if you receive a call like this. Check in with family members to confirm the information before taking any action or just let the call go to voicemail, and reach out to older family members and friends to talk to them about this type of scam.
This comes after Maryland State Police shared information warning people to take cautions to avoid potential scams when shopping online this holiday season. Read more about how to avoid becoming the victim of an online scam here.