Scam Alert in The Villages

[Muncle]

Got this from the VHA this afternoon: The following was received from the Sumter Co. Sheriff's Office just minutes ago.... with two cases of this TODAY, it is important that you read and heed..... Also share this with your neighbors.

Message follows:


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Lt. Wolfe requested that I email you this and ask you to pass it on to everyone you can. Thank you in advance.

Theresa Elliott
Receptionist
Sumter County Sheriff's Office
Villages Annex
352-753-2799 ext. 4223
Email: telliott@sumtercountysheriff.org


PRESS RELEASE


SCAM ALERT


On Friday July 31, 2009 The Sumter County Sheriff�s Office received two separate scam complaints. At 10am the complainant received a phone call from a male subject who claimed to be their grandson. This person sounded upset and stated he was in trouble for gambling debts. He stated he owed $6,000 and was urging the complainant to bring cash to the Denny�s restaurant and to put it on the passenger seat with the window rolled down and to enter the establishment. The complainant a Village resident immediately contacted law enforcement.

At noon July 31, 2009 a second Village resident received a similar call. The complainant received a phone call from a male subject stating �we have your son; he owes us $6,000 in gambling debts.� A second person gets on the phone identifying himself as the victims� son. This person sounding upset, crying, stated �You need to help me, do as they say�. The original person gets back on the phone and advises to �take $6,000 cash to the Cracker Barrel restaurant place the money on the front passenger seat with the passenger window rolled down, and go inside.� The complainant entered the restaurant called the son who advised that he had no idea what they were talking about. The victim went back to their vehicle and the money was missing.

If anyone else receives similar calls contact your local law enforcement agency.

If anyone has any information regarding these cases or any case similar contact

Detective Robert Seimer at 352-793-0222 or Crimeline 1-800-423-TIPS



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[Cassie325]

Thank you for posting this....this is horrible!!!!

[Bryan]

Today's issue (Saturday, August 1, 2009) of The Daily Sun has an article on Page C-3 concerning this scam. It appears the scam artists have combined two old scams - the "Grandparents Scam and the Hitman Scam - to come up with this new variation. Read and heed the paper - don't give up your hard-earned money to these scum.

[zcaveman]

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't you call your son or his family to see if this was true before you put $6000 on the front seat of a car with an open window?

[Cassie325]

Just out of curiosity, wouldn't you call your son or his family to see if this was true before you put $6000 on the front seat of a car with an open window?


My question is....how the scammers know that someone has a grand son or son??? How do they know they have the money??

AND...not only call your family first....but wouldn't you call the police BEFORE you go over to the drop off place????

[Taltarzac]

My question is....how the scammers know that someone has a grand son or son??? How do they know they have the money??

AND...not only call your family first....but wouldn't you call the police BEFORE you go over to the drop off place????



Link to this article-- http://www.dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/080131scam

[jblum8156]

Who knows, the scammers may have called dozens of numbers before hitting one that fit.
My husband was a lawyer and he specialized in recovering money for folks who were victims of scams, primarily in the stock market. He was always amazed at how vulnerable people are, especially older people with a lot of cash.

[babbs455]

this happened to my neighbor awhile back...sad but true...some people actually fall for it...
don't!

[Muncle]

Who knows, the scammers may have called dozens of numbers before hitting one that fit.

There's a scam that sports touts use that bring in a bunch of suckers. The first week of the season, they will send out literally hundreds of thousands of emails promoting a "FREE" pick on their game of the week. (For those who don't know, the business is to sell their advice/picks.) Half the email will pick team A, half TEAM b. Team A wins. The next week, they email the same thing, only to those who had been sent team A. Same procedure. And they do this for a few weeks.

Say they start with 400,000 emails. Week 2 it's 200,000. Week 3 they're down to 100,000. After that week, they've got 50,000 people who have witnessed a perfect 3 week run and think these guy to be pretty good. One more week, they've got 25,000 fish on the hook just dying to give these football experts their money for their list of picks. Hey, they called 4 tight games in a row, including the upset. They must be brilliant. :pepper2:




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[CJ]

I am with Chelsea....

If someone calls and says this to you and demand money...tell them you would be glad to make it $12,000 if they promise to not harm them. Make the arrangement for drop off...call the police...and coordinate the drop off with them (undercover will assist).

That way....the criminals will definately show up and be put behind bars!

I hope all senior's read this.
Such a shame they were intimidated.