Elderly Needham Resident Hit By Scammers Twice

NEEDHAM, MA — The Needham Police Department is reminding residents to be on the lookout for phone scams after one targeted an elderly resident.

On Aug. 24, the victim received a call from a man who identified himself as a public defender who needed $2,650 to bail her grandson out of jail. The victim Needham Police after learning her grandson had not actually been arrested. However, the following day the victim received another phone call from a man who identified himself as a detective. The scammer told the woman that he was following up in regards to the police report she made the previous day and that the responding officers forgot to gather her social security number. The victim gave the fake detective her social security number and it was later determined that she was never contacted by an actual detective and was ultimately scammed twice, police said.

In these situations, residents are advised to to verify the callers identity by caller ID or getting their name and telling them that you will call the station and ask for them.

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