Michigan State Troopers from Groveland Township responded to a report of fraud from a resident on Grange Hall Road.
The 85-year-old victim said that on Feb.11 he received a call from a female identifying herself as his granddaughter. The female told the man she was in a Windsor Ontario hospital following a traffic accident. The suspect told the man her nose had been broken causing her voice to sound strange and the hospital refused to accept her insurance.
The suspect requested $2,650 from the man, which was wired from a store in Fenton. That same day the female suspect called back and requested $2,175 to assist with a rental car. The next day the suspect contacted the man and asked for $2,450 to pay the labor on the auto repairs.
The man realized he had been the victim of fraud when his real granddaughter (with the same name) arrived at his house. She lives just a few doors down from the man.
‘These criminals call a lot of people,? said Michigan State Police Detective Sgt. Gary Muir. ‘The older people become a target. The criminals gain information from the internet and learn as much as they can about the victim.?
Muir suggests if a fraudulent phone call is suspected, ask for a return phone number or contact another family member to confirm the information.
Troopers contacted the Windsor Police Department and it was determined that no such address existed in Ontario.
On Feb. 20, Western Union reported to the Michigan State Police that the money was picked up at two separate locations in Nova Scotia. The first transaction was picked up on Feb. 11 in Halifax. The second transaction was picked up in Dartmouth, about 63 miles northeast of Halifax.
The Ontario Provincial Police and Western Union stress the importance of verifying any information before wiring money.
‘This type of fraud is very common, similar in scope to the Nigerian scams.?