Newtown Borough Police: 'Don't Fall For Grandparents Scam'

NEWTOWN BOROUGH, Pa. — The Newtown Borough Police Department is investigating after a resident fell victim to the "Grandparents Scam," a con targeting seniors by preying on their devotion to their families.

According to police, a borough resident received a fraudulent phone call on July 24 from a man purporting to be her grandson. The caller stated that he was involved in a traffic accident and he needed money.

Police said the victim was then transferred from her fictitious "grandson" to a fictitious "attorney". The victim then proceeded to withdraw cash from her bank, police said.

The perpetrator, or his accomplice, then arrived at the victim's home wearing a full face mask and the victim turned the cash over to him, police said.

Police are pursing leads from a neighbor's video surveillance camera.

Citizens are urged to avoid these types of scams, which have become increasingly more frequent and have cost Americans millions of dollars.

Common stories from the scammers include: A loved one has been hurt in an accident and the hospital needs funds immediately or a loved one has been arrested and is in need of bail money. The scammers can be very convincing, police said.

If anyone receives these types of calls, they are urged to verify their authenticity through their local police department.