Beltrami County Officials See Increase in ‘Grandparent Scam’ Reports

The Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office and area law enforcement have seen a significant increase in reports of scam activity in the area. The most common scam being reported is known as the “Grandparent Scam.”

Officials say it isn’t a new scam, but that the tactics of the scammers have changed and are very convincing. It works by having scammers contact residents and provide information that their grandchild was involved in a crash or other incident and requires bail money. They indicate that a bail bondsman will respond to their residence or arrange for a meeting to collect the bail.

The Sheriff’s Office says in some cases, the callers have information on the people they’re calling. This information is likely gathered from public databases and records, as well as researching personal information on social media platforms. It is believed there are people working remotely and contacting local phone numbers arranging for the meets.

Law enforcement officials say if you receive a call of this nature, verify with family members or law enforcement at legitimate published phone numbers. Do not call numbers provided by the callers, do not provide personal information, and do not meet or invite someone to your home to collect bail.

The scammers can swindle large amounts of money from people. One man was arrested earlier this week in Grand Rapids and is accused of swindling three people out of almost $50,000 in all.