It's a classic scam with a new twist. Police say someone called about a kidnapping scam, but the victim they targeted was a Scottsdale sergeant.
Police sergeant. He works in financial crimes, so when he answered the phone last week, he knew immediately he was being scammed.
"I picked it up, and I answered, and i answer just like I do normally - Scottsdale Police Department, Sergeant Lewis - and I heard on the other end of the line 'Grandpa? Grandpa?" Sgt. Lewis recounted."The grandparent they got ahold of was a financial crimes detective," said Sgt. Lewis.Scottsdale Police sergeant recounts scam call
Scam phone calls are nothing new, but what happens when a scammer managed to call up a financial crimes detective with a police department? FOX 10's Steve Nielsen has more.Caller: "I had a terrible car accident."Caller: "I was rushed down to the hospital. I've been treated, but the lady in the other vehicle, she told the officers that I took the red light."Caller: "They are charging me for reckless endangerment.
"The suspect on the line was very good," Sgt. Lewis said. "A very good actor. What I mean is emotional hooks, the right words, the desperation in the voice.Financial crimes on the rise, according to figures According to the FBI's Internet Crimes Complaint Center , Arizona ranks 10th nationally for elder fraud, with 3,175 victims in 2021. In all, $54,441,279 was lost.Sgt. Lewis said every week, the department receives calls from victims saying they're embarrassed that they gave money to a scammer. Sgt. Lewis said they shouldn't be embarrassed because these are intricateArrests, according to Sgt. Lewis, are rare, and getting money back is very challenging.
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