Brandon Twp.-Renee Doyle was in an already fragile emotional state when her sister called to tell her she had just received a call that their brother had been in a critical vehicle accident on April 15.
The siblings? father had died earlier that week and now it seemed another tragedy had struck the family.
Doyle would soon learn, to both her relief and anger, the call was bogus? a con artist’s scam.
‘It was horrible,? says Doyle. ‘I think they just randomly called a number out of the phone book.?
The random victim in this case was Doyle’s sister. She was told by a man claiming to be a police officer that there had been a critical accident. He asked her if she knew anyone who had a pick-up truck. When she answered yes, her brother, he asked if the truck was red.
The man continued to glean personal information, telling Doyle’s sister they had gotten her phone number from her brother’s cell phone and that her brother needed to be airlifted to the University of Michigan. He said a payment for the airlift needed to be wired over.
‘They started by asking for $800 and when we said we didn’t know if we could get that much, they said half would be fine,? Doyle said. ‘We’re not stupid people, but they throw you into the emotional side of it.?
The family discovered the scam after Doyle called her brother’s cell phone to tell authorities her brother is allergic to penecillin and her brother answered his phone, perfectly fine and shopping with his wife at Kohl’s.
They called the Sterling Heights Police, but were told they weren’t considered victims because they hadn’t actually sent the money.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Sgt. Tim McIsaac says to avoid becoming a victim, persons who are called should confirm any information and do not take the caller’s word at face value.
‘Get a phone number and call them back before giving any details,? McIsaac says. ‘It’s a very cruel scam and happening more frequently. If it’s an official, they will call from a police station or hospital.?