On Wednesday, Chattooga County Sheriff Mark Schrader issued a warning about a “grandparents scam” that is making its rounds with Chattooga County residents.

Sheriff Schrader said, “We have received more calls from our elderly residents stating that they’ve received phone calls from individuals pretending to be grandkids. The caller stated they are in need of money to get out of jail….etc. Please make your family aware of this scam.”

The Georgia Department of Consumer Affairs says that this type of scam is common in Georgia, and offers the following advise:

The scammer claims to be your grandchild, one of his or her friends, or a law enforcement officer.  The caller then makes up an urgent scenario requiring that money be sent immediately, e.g. your grandchild is in jail and needs bail money or became ill while traveling in a foreign country and needs money to come home.

What you should know

• A scammer can discover many personal details about someone via social media or through identity theft, so do not trust a caller at face value.
• If you receive a phone call of this nature, it is best to hang up and then try to verify the whereabouts of your grandchild by calling his or her cell phone directly or contacting his or her parents.