Scam Artists Targeting More Berea Residents

BEREA, OH — In the past week, the Berea Police have received an uptick in residents reporting they're receiving suspicious phone calls from people impersonating their grandchildren. The phone calls are likely part of a classic scam trope.

The caller claims to be the person's grandchild and says they're being held in jail. They need their "grandparent" to purchase money cards on their behalf. In some cases, they'll ask the grandparent to wire money to an account. In other instances, they'll have someone come to the house to pick-up the cash.

The callers are always aggressive because they are perpetrating a scam. Berea Police said on Facebook that if a resident gets one of these calls, they should not provide any personal information or send any money. (To stay up to date on local stories, subscribe to the Patch Berea-Middleburg Heights newsletter. As news breaks and the story develops, you will be the first to receive updates from Patch.)

The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs lists the "grandparent" scam as the number fraud perpetrated against senior residents. The county recommends someone being targeted in these types of scams contact a family member and investigate the alleged "jail time."

More information on common scams targeting older residents can be found by clicking here.

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