From WYSH -
A scam that pops up every now and again attempting to victimize primarily senior citizens has returned to Anderson County, Tennessee and this warning is appropriate for all areas.
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Department reports that Deputy Charles Relford was called to a home on Mountain Lane on Thursday afternoon December 26, 2019, where he met a woman who told him that she had received a phone call from a man who identified himself as a public defender in Kentucky.
The caller told the woman that her granddaughter had been arrested in the Bluegrass State, and needed bail money in the amount of $8850 to get out of jail. He then instructed her to obtain a large yellow envelope, place the money and a magazine inside it, and then leave it at end of her driveway, where it would be picked up by a “federal marshal.”
The woman drove to her granddaughter’s house on Mountain Road and confirmed that she was there, and not in custody somewhere in Kentucky, at which point they called the authorities.
Deputy Relford called the number that had been provided by the would-be scammer, who told him that the woman’s granddaughter was indeed in custody in Kentucky, but hung up when the officer began asking follow-up questions.
This is an all-too-familiar scam which targets primarily older individuals, and law enforcement officials remind you that they will not call you, nor will the public defender’s office, prosecutors or judges, call you to let you know that your “grandchild” or other young family member is in custody, and they will certainly never ask you to leave money at the end of your driveway to get that family member out of jail.
They will also never ask you to “post bond” for someone by using pre-paid cash cards, debit cards, credit cards, money orders or anything of that nature.
If you receive a call like this, please hang up immediately and contact your local law enforcement agency.