Dedham Police: Quarantine Isolation Could Help Scammers

DEDHAM, MA — The Dedham Police Department is warning residents to be vigilant as the new coronavirus pandemic and increased isolation has made virtual scammers bolder. A Dedham resident alerted police to a scammer who tried to convince them that their grandchild was in jail and in need of bail money.

The scammer told the senior that their grandchild had been in a car crash and was now in jail and given the phone number to someone they claimed was a lawyer, to work out the bail amount, according to police. After the senior haggled the large price of bail down, the senior decided to try to confirm if their grandchild was in jail.

Police said the senior called their child and verified that their grandchild was not in jail. The senior didn't give any money to the scammer but alerted the police.

"A higher degree of isolation due to the pandemic may likely aid scammers in tricking people out of money or revealing personal identifying information," police said, "Stay alert, don’t send funds, verify who you do business with and don’t tell anybody your banking, credit card, social security or birth information."