Police Foil Scheme, Stop Phoenix Senior from Losing $48K

A Phoenix woman was deceived by thieves who tried to swindle her out of $48,500, but Baltimore County police stopped the theft before her money was gone forever.

"The electronic transfer was stopped by detectives," said Det. Cathleen Batton, spokeswoman for the police department.

It was March 13 when the woman, 81, received a telephone call from someone who "advised her grandson needed $48,000 to bail him out" of jail, according to a police report.

She wired the money to the suspect's account in California, then contacted her grandson in New Jersey and found the story she heard on the phone wasn't true, police said.

"Schemes where suspects attempt to get the victims to send money for a variety of reasons are not uncommon," Batton said.

"People who engage in these types of scams rely heavily on the emotions of the victims. They hope that their victims will be so concerned that they will react before they have a chance to truly think through the situation."

Batton said no one should send money or give personal information to anyone they do not know.

That includes through the internet, through a wire transfer service, or over the phone. "Always verify information before taking action," she said.

For more information on preventing crimes, visit the Baltimore County Police Department website.