S C POLICE WARN OF SCAM VS

THE SANTA CRUZ POLICE DEPARTMENT IS WARNING LOCAL RESIDENTS OF A SCAM THAT IS BEING WORKED ON LOCAL SENIOR CITIZENS. IN MOST CASES A YOUNG PERSON CALLS THE SENIOR, CLAIMING TO BE THEIR GRANDCHILD, AND NEEDING MONEY. THEY CONVINCE THE GRANDPARENT THEY ARE IN SOME SORT OF TROUBLE AND NEED THEIR HELP. THEY ASK THAT MONEY (BAIL MONEY FOR EXAMPLE) BE SENT IMMEDIATELY THROUGH WESTERN UNION. IN TRUTH IT IS A SCAM ARTIST ONLY INTERESTED IN TRICKING MONEY OUT OF A TRUSTING ELDERLY GRANDPARENT. AUTHORITIES ARE UURGING ALL SENIOR CITIZENS TO BE CAUTIOUS OF PERSONS POSING AS RELATIVES AND SEEKING MONEY, AND VERIFY WHO THEY ARE BY ASKING SOME PERSONAL QUESTIONS.
THE SANTA CRUZ POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS LEARNED THAT BETWEEN MAY AND SEPTEMBER 2004, THIS PARTICULAR TYPE OF CONFIDENCE SCAM HAS OCCURRRED APPPROXIMATELY 53 TIMES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA, WHILE TODATE THERE HAS BEEN ONLY 1 REPORTED IN THE CITY OF SANTA CRUZ. IF ANYONE BELIEVES THEY HAVE BEEN CONTACTED IN A SIMILAR CRIME, THEY SHOULD REPORT IT TO THEIR LOCAL AUTHORITIES.