Crime & Safety

Fairlawn Man Scammed Out of $11,000: Police Blotter

The following information was provided by the Fairlawn Police Department

 

A Sandrun Parkway man who was trying to help out a family member actually lined the pockets of some con artists.

In a variation of the common "grandson" scam, the man believed a caller who said his nephew was in trouble in Bolivia.

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The caller on April 8 said he was from the American Embassy in Bolivia, and the man's nephew was in jail there.

He needed $4,200 to get out of jail, the caller said. The man called back and said he would need an additional $7,200.

Find out what's happening in Fairlawn-Bathwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He warned the Fairlawn man not to tell anyone about the incident. The money would be refunded later, the caller said.

On April 15, the victim mailed two money orders to Bolivia.

He later called his nephew and learned he was not in any trouble -- or in Bolivia.

The victim is apparently out $11,400.


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