FedEx driver foils scam

Law enforcement sees an increase in scams during the holiday season. Fortunately in Eastlake, a FedEx driver helped a would-be victim from being scammed out of $12,000 Nov. 30.

According to Eastlake police, a scammer called a person pretending to be a family member in jail. In these types of situations, scammers are able to gain information about family members from the victim. Scammers use another person to call the victim concealing their voice by pretending to be crying and asking to send bail money to an address and tell the victim there is a gag order and they can’t tell anyone.

Eastlake police said in this case, the would-be victim was sending the $12,000 in cash to an address in Jersey City, New Jersey, to post the relative’s bond. A FedEx driver became suspicious and realized it was a scam and called

the police.

Police Chief Larry Reik said they’ve contacted the Jersey City Police Department with the information for a further investigation.

“Police warn that law enforcement officers will never ask individual to send cash or gift cards to any locations,” Eastlake police said in a Facebook post. “The scammers are identifying themselves as police officers, IRS Agents, Social Security investigators, FBI agents and other law enforcement officials. Police also warn to never provide bank account information, Social Security numbers or credit card information to individuals that call or request the information on the internet.”

The Willoughby Police Department offers the following advice to avoid being scammed:

• Tell the caller “I’ll get back with you soon” (and then hang up the phone).

• Call that relative back on their personal cell phone, home phone, school phone, not the number given to you by the caller.

• Call the relative’s parents and ask them about this “problem” you were just confronted with. Basically you’re taking five extra minutes to substantiate this “problem.”

• If you can’t make these contacts, call your location law enforcement agency for assistance.

• Remember, how do you pay for school, insurance, and other debts? Do you use big-box store gift cards to pay for bail money, insurance bills and hospital bills? No. Attorneys and jails never taken money electronically.