Officials warning against scam targeting grandparents

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh man says he got scammed out of $8,000. He says they really played with his emotions and made him truly believe his granddaughter was in trouble.

“It was an emotional thing,” said Mr. Dixon. “My granddaughter needed help, and I had to get involved.”

Mr. Dixon is 81 years old. He did not want to show his face on camera but said his last name could be used. This all started on November 3 when he received a phone call. He thought he was talking to his granddaughter.

“I got a phone call,” said Mr. Dixon. “It was a woman. A young girl. I think she said pappy. She said I got a cold. I don’t feel very well. So, I said Lauren, and i think that’s when they started working. They have a name now, Lauren.”

Mr. Dixon said the young lady on the phone told him she got into a car crash in which a pregnant woman was severely injured, and she was in jail because of it and needed help. Then he says, someone who identified himself as his granddaughter’s attorney got on the phone and said her bail was set at $15,000.

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“I said I don’t have 15,000 bucks, but I have 8,000.”

Later that same day, a man showed up to his house to pick up the money and left with $8,000 in cash. Mr. Dixon’s daughter had a camera installed on his porch a few months ago because she was worried about his safety. That camera captured the man’s face and the brief interaction.

“He seemed like he was reluctant,” said Mr. Dixon. “Hesitant about this.”

Pittsburgh police say they have not identified this man, but they’re in contact with Pennsylvania State Police. On Facebook, the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office posted about a similar case in Hempfield Township where an 80-year-old man handed over nearly $20,000 to bail a loved one out of jail. It happened the same day.

“Same thing,” said Mr. Dixon. “Yeah they get to the heart and any bit of information they can get off of you like me saying my granddaughter’s name or the town of Cleveland. They worked it good. They worked it good.”

Pittsburgh Police say if you receive a phone call like this hang up and try to verify what was said. Don’t give any kind of information out. And if you do believe something like this happened to you, you should report it to your local police department immediately.

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