Is there someplace where I can/should report this?

[LAS14]

Phone rings this morning.

Me: Hello. (Long silence, maybe a marketing call, but I hang on because our son and family are out of the country).

Male: Hi, Mom (I think he said "mom", but maybe it was Gramma????) I also think he sounds like he has a cold or something.

Me: Oh! Hi! Let me get Dad!!

Male: No, no! Wait! Promise you won't get mad?

Me: Yes.

Male: Uh, uh, I got arrested. (Visions of son calling from jail after getting arrested for speeding on his motorcycle flash before me.) Uh, uh.....

Me: Who is this?

Male: Uh, your oldest grandson.

Me: I didn't need that clincher, really, to hang up. My oldest grandson is 7.

Is there someplace to report this sort of scam? *69 tells me the phone call was from 223-304-0009, but when I call it I get "the number you have dialed is not valid."

Comcast said they can't do anything about it.

[LuckyCharms]

1. Call your phone service carrier.

They will transfer you or give you their phone number to call in order to report this.

[LuckyCharms]

2. PS...Their number was spoofed to another phone number.

Report it anyway.

[question everything]

6. Also your local police

they keep reports, I think.

[LuckyCharms]

7. Good idea. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

23. Your state Attorney General office probably has online form to report this.

Even Ala. has one. They track the scams and often can get enough info. to sue the source.

I report these scams all the time when I get the calls. Eventually I get a notice that the AG has done something about it.
The more reports they have, the better chance of finding the nefarious scammers.

Never call back any number they leave, but do copy it down. If you call back, it could be a way for them to add huge charges onto your phone bill. and your phone company will not do a damn thing about it, they actually get a cut of the money.

[sharp_stick]

3. It's a spoofed number

The actual scumbag is probably not even in the U.S. It's a pretty common scam and unfortunately has been pretty fruitful for the scumbags.

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/08/grandpa-spots-scammers

I've been getting a lot of the Rachel from card services calls from "local numbers". They do this to get you to answer the phone.

[burnbaby]

4. google the number

I bet you see a lot of post about it. there could be a number to call to at least block the number from calling you.

Kind of a funny story tho, since your oldest grandson is 7

[SWBTATTReg]

5. I don't remember who to report this to, I assume ...

your local police dept., whom in turn, I assume, if need be, bring in the appropriate authorities if need be.

Since this seems to be a interstate call, the FBI is normally called in these types of things, which, I'm sure that they are already aware of this happened.

This happened to my sister's EX in-laws, and unfortunately, they paid out the money before someone in the family could stop them.

Sad!

Best advise I've heard, ignore and hang up, and contact your local police dept.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. That's the Grandma Scam.

http://www.dontwasteyourmoney.com/everything-need-know-hey-grandma-scam/

Report it at ftc.gov/complaint or 1-877-FTC-HELP.

[LAS14]

11. Thanks. That was the place to go. Interestingly...

... the reference number they gave me is getting close to 1 billion. Of course they may have started at a million....

[Frustratedlady]

9. This happened to my grandson's grandpa, too.

Only he asked his grandpa for $2000 because he was arrested in Mexico and needed the money to get out of jail.

He was crying and his grandpa said it sounded just like him...they even knew the grandson's name.

The grandfather nearly had a heart attack and was headed for the bank when his family found out and told him it was a scam.

It also happened to another couple who are friends. Their grandson was in the hospital and needed $2K to pay for the ER. The bank stopped them from withdrawing the money.

Both parties called the police and had it on record. Many people are falling for the scam. DO NOT PAY MONEY. Hang up!

[LuckyCharms]

10. Stuff like this is why I never EVER...

a) Answer my phone unless I know who it is. Even if the call looks local, it could be a spoofed number. If it is important, they can leave a message.

b) Answer the door. Nothing good ever comes from answering a knock on your door. If it is important, they will find a way to reach me.

[dewsgirl]

13. +1

[Caliman73]

12. The FTC has a hotline or website you can contact

They are well aware of the situation and are trying to crack down on this scam, but it is hard because of the ease with which people can spoof phone numbers.

Here is a link https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/media-resources/identity-theft-and-data-security/filing-complaint

It is a "Grandparent scam" as others have said. I deal with those regularly as I work with Seniors and disabled people. They count on emotion to kick in and they usually have enough information to make the scam seem plausible.

They got arrested. They need money for a lawyer. They have an account you can wire the money to. They try to keep you from contacting anyone else so it is always "urgent" so they can get you to wire the money before you realize that it isn't actually your relative.

Unfortunately, a lot of people get caught up in the scam. People always feel upset and embarrassed for being caught up but I usually ask them, "What did you do for a living?" "Were you good at what you did?" To which they answer "Yes", then I tell them, "This is what these guys do for a living. It is deceitful and wrong, but it is how they make their money, so they have to be good at what they do. Your job from now on is to recognize and always check especially when people ask you not to."

Glad you were able to avoid the scam.

[procon]

14. Its a money ripoff scam, don't answer or just hang, then Google grandparent scam. nt

[hunter]

15. Hey, man, did you know Interpol is looking for you?

And some big Russian dudes came by yesterday asking about you. They did not look friendly.

Maybe jail's the safest place for you right now, okay? Try not to piss off the sheriff this time...

[haele]

16. Oh, my MiL just got one of those calls friday - put her in a panic for a few minutes.

Until she realized that the kidlet still hasn't learned how to drive. It didn't help that neither the kidlet nor her husband answer the phone anyway.

1. Check the area code it's coming from; the call MiL got came from Washington D.C. (hint #1)
2. Call the FBI. This is interstate fraud.
3. Let the grandkid know there's too much personal info on their Facebook. That's how most of the scammers find the grandparents.

Haele

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

18. Not the FBI, the FTC. They are tracking these scams.

See above posts. They have a specific link and phone # to call.

[NCTraveler]

20. With respect to number 2.

The FBI will only get involved if a harmed party is brought to them. I have been in direct contact with agents about this. They will use the logged information in building their case if a harmed party is brought forward. No party is harmed in their eyes from just answering the phone and understanding quickly it is a scam. They have had to take this approach as they don't have the time to deal with craigslist scams alone. There are just too many of them going on.

[dalton99a]

17. Kick

[NCTraveler]

19. See post #8.

They will log it but not do much more. It will be referenced in the instance someone was harmed. You were not harmed so all they will do is log it. My business is scammed regularly on craigslist. They will not do anything, outside of craigslist removing the scam, as I have yet to have brought a harmed party to them.

[Liberal In Texas]

21. A friend's elderly mother got taken by this.

For thousands. The cops said that they believed the scammers were operating out of Canada and there was nothing they could do about it.

Please, tell any elderly relatives you have about this scam and to not believe anyone who calls allegedly from the police for them to wire money to get their son, grandson, whatever out of jail.

This lady lost almost all of here savings and there is just nothing that can be done about it.

[ailsagirl]

22. What the--??

Weird