A Door County couple were bilked out of $3,000 this month in a variation of the “grandson” scam. The couple was contacted by a caller who said their grandson had been arrested after marijuana was found in a vehicle he was in. The young relative was supposedly in the Brown County Jail and needed $3,000 bail money. The couple was told that once their grandson made a court appearance, the money would be returned. They purchased 3 $1,000 money cards to secure their grandson’s released and followed instructions provided by the caller. A short time later, the couple heard from their grandson who said he never was in jail and hadn’t been arrested. The investigating officer attempted to short circuit the transaction at Wal-Mart, but it was too late, the money was gone. Later, it was determined that the call came from Canada. The Door County Sheriff’s Department says, if you receive such a call, contact local law enforcement before taking any action. An investigator will not only tell you if the call is legitimate, but will also be able to determine if a family member is, indeed, in police custody.
