Elderly North Haven Man Almost Victim of Nearly $10K Phone Scam: Police

NORTH HAVEN, CT — An 86-year-old North Haven man was nearly a victim of a $9,700 bail money scam, according to police.

North Haven Police say the resident received a phone call from a man who said he was a police sergeant and that money was needed to bail out the man’s grandson from jail in Baltimore.

The caller provided the resident with some convincing details so the man went to the bank and withdrew the money.

Police said he was then instructed to place the cash money in a large envelope and mark it “Legal Documents” and await a courier.

Once the money was picked up and in transit, the man had second thoughts and contacted the North Haven Police Department.

“Officer John Gaspar acted quickly and was able to track down the legitimate courier service,” police said in a press release. “He was able to stop the package in transit and the $9,700.00 was returned. Officer Gaspar’s efforts also revealed another victim from Meriden, CT. In this case, the elderly Meriden man sent $9,200 under the same false pretenses. The package was also halted and ultimately returned to the unknowing victim. The investigation into these incidents is ongoing.

“Please remind your elderly friends and loved ones that any calls requesting money for bail, back taxes, or ransom are scam attempts and they should seek guidance before acting. These scammers are quite convincing and will often pressure the intended victim that time is essential. Just take a moment and call us for assistance, 203-239-1618.”

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