An elderly Johnston County man lost $11,000 in cash in the Grandparents Scam this week.
The 81 year-old victim received a phone call earlier this week from a person pretending to be a law enforcement officer. They told the victim his grandson had been arrested and needed $11,000 to be bonded out to jail.
In an attempt to make the scam seem real, the fake officer handed the phone to a second person pretending to be a bail bondsman who was working to try and secure his grandson’s release from jail.
The victim sent $11,000 in cash in a Fed Ex envelope to an address in New Jersey before realizing his grandson wasn’t in jail and he had been scammed.
Captain Jeff Caldwell with the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday the case was under investigation by the detectives division. Caldwell said citizens need to be alert about numerous telephone scams and if something seems suspicious to contact your nearest law enforcement agency.
Since the victim sent the scammers cash, it is unlikely the elderly man will get his money back.
