MACON COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Authorities in Macon County are sounding the alarm on a new series of scam phone calls that people in the county are receiving. These calls, they said, are targeting grandparents.
The Macon County Sheriff’s Office posted to Facebook on Tuesday that people have reported receiving phone calls from someone who immediately says “Grandma” or “Grandpa” upon them answering. The natural instinct, officials said, is for the recipient to reply back with the name of the person they believe is calling.
The person on the other end of the phone, officials said, then tells the recipient that they have been in a crash or arrested and only have five minutes to talk. They then provide a case number or phone number of a defense attorney, who will then ask for bond money to get the supposed grandchild out of jail.
This, officials said, is a scam. People who receive a call like this are advised to hang up immediately without giving any money or personal information to the caller.