Lititz Borough - The LBPD would like to notify residents of a rash of scams that has been occurring in Lititz Borough and throughout Pennsylvania.  The "grandparent bail scam" has been targeting elderly victims and the scam are all nearly identical.  The scam occurs in this manner; An unknown male or female suspect contacts the victim via telephone and claims to be a relative (niece, nephew, granddaughter, grandson, etc.) in distress, typically purporting to either be in jail or facing jail time as the result of an at-fault traffic crash.  Often times additional details are added to the story.  The suspect then requests a substantial amount of "bail money."  The bail amounts vary and the suspects "lawyer" will get the "bail" reduced if the amount is too much for the victim to afford.  Once the amount of bail is agreed upon the victim is instructed to provide the "bail bondsman" or "courier" with the money.  The suspect posing as this "bail bondsman" or "courier" typically arrives at the victim's residence and parks their vehicle down the street from the residence.  The suspect then approaches the Victim's residence on foot wearing some sort of face covering.  The suspect then takes possession of the victim's payment.  

This scam has been occurring for several years but it appears to have once again increased in popularity.  The LBPD would like to remind residents of ways they can avoid being scammed;

• First, recognize a scam when you hear it.   The phone call claiming to be about or from a grandchild or other family member in distress. The caller is in an urgent need for money to be secretly wire transferred, often to a foreign country, or given to a third party.  The caller requests money in cash or through gift cards.  
• If you receive a phone call like this, verify the caller’s identity and resist pressure to act before the caller’s identity is verified. Contact a family member who could confirm the caller’s story. Try contacting the real grandchild at a number you know is accurate. You can also ask questions of the caller, the answers to which only the real grandchild would know.
• Resist the pressure to act quickly.  This scam depends upon a grandparent’s compassion for their grandchildren outweighing any concern about potential scams. The various excuses created by fraudsters almost always involve an emergency and a desire for secrecy. A scammer often claims that there is no time to speak to others or that the “grandchild” will be embarrassed if other family members know about the situation.

If you or someone you know has fallen victim to this scam, please contact your local law enforcement agency.  Victims should also report this scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) as they are the main agency that collects scam reports. Reports to the FTC can be made online :Report the scam to the FTC online, or by phone at 1-877-382-4357 (9:00 AM - 8:00 PM, ET).

Media Contact: Media@LititzPD.org