Attorney General: ‘New spin’ on family emergency scam

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned of an ongoing scam involving grandparents or family emergencies, this time with a new variation.

In a five-day period, two mid-Michigan mothers both received calls falsely claiming their daughters had been kidnapped, and demanding a ransom for their return. In both instances, the callers new the daughters’ names, and demanded payment by wire.

In another incident, a couple of grandparents were tricked out of $33,000. A man claiming to be their grandson said he was caught fishing in Canada without a license, and needed to pay a $3,000 fine. After they paid, he said that alcohol and drugs were found in his boat, and he needed to pay $30,000 to post bond.

“Bad actors will stop at nothing to get your money or personal information – that includes exploiting your love and concern for your family members,” Nessel said in a press release.

“My office is committed to ensuring Michiganders are protected from these con artists and that they are aware of best practices to avoid these scams.”

The Attorney General’s office warned to be suspicious of calls when:

• A child or grandchild calls from a far-away location.

• The grandchild says, “It’s me,” or, “It’s your grandson,” or “It’s your favorite grandchild.”

• The child or grandchild is in some trouble or some type of distress.

• The caller asks for money to be wire transferred.

Anyone receiving such a call should verify the identity and location of the child or grandchild claiming to be in trouble, the AG’s office said. “You should hang up and call another family member who can confirm your child or grandchild’s whereabouts.”

The AG’s office advises against wiring money unless you have independently verified the child or grandchild is truly in trouble.

Persons are asked to never give out personal identifying information such as a bank account or credit card numbers.

Anyone who wires money to a scam artist should call the money transfer hotline immediately to report the fraud and file a complaint. Moneygram can be reached at 800-MONEYGRAM (6663937), and Western Union can be reached at 800-4481492.

Additionally, if you believe your are the victim of fraud, file complaint with your local police department and the Federal Trade Commission. Visit the FTC’s website at FTC.gov, or call 877-FTC-HELP (877-3824357).

If the scam involved wiring money to Canada, contact their PhoneBusters hotline at 888-495-8501.