Palos Park Seniors Targeted In Cruel Phone Scams

PALOS PARK, IL -- Palos Park police are investigating two instances in which seniors were targeted in phone scams on Tuesday. One man sent money to bail his adult nephew out of jail. Another woman was told send a transfer fee to release money she won in a sweepstakes, police said.

A Palos Park senior was contacted by his adult nephew’s lawyer regarding a serious DUI accident involving a pregnant woman in Indianapolis. The caller told the man his nephew was being held on DUI charges and needed a $2,400 moneygram from a “nearby Jewel store.” The fake attorney told the man to send the money ASAP to keep his nephew out of the news and jail.

Police said the man sent a moneygram for $2,400 and confirmed the transaction number with the “lawyer.” The man was contacted a second time, and told that the woman had lost the baby. The caller told the man more money was needed for bail. The man sent a second moneygram for $2,400 to the “lawyer,” again confirming the transaction number.

The man learned that his nephew was fine and vacationing in Wisconsin Dells. Unfortunately, the nephew did not receive his uncle’s cell phone calls inquiring if he was okay, police said.

In a second incident, a Palos Park woman received a phone call Tuesday morning and was excitedly told she had won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. Before they could bring over the giant check and film crew, they needed her to send them a $360 transaction fee. The woman’s initial excitement turned to skepticism and she called Palos Park police before sending the money.