Scam Alert: Phone Scam Targets Senior Citizens

Roseville Police are alerting residents to a telephone scam targeting senior citizens. 

The con-artist pretends to be a grandchild, niece, nephew or a young family friend of the senior citizen and calls crying and upset asking for money. 

Last summer, a Sun City Roseville resident wired money twice after receiving a call from a male claiming to be his grandson in need of money. The caller claimed that he had been involved in a traffic accident in Mexico and needed money to pay for a lawyer. 

Roseville Police report that this type of scam is making its rounds locally again. 

According to police, the caller will claim to have gotten into trouble somewhere far away and will beg the senior citizen to wire them money for an "emergency," such as bail or car towing. 

"They'll often have an accomplice who will claim to be an attorney or police officer to vouch for their story. They'll also beg the senior not to call their parents (to verify their story)," according to Roseville Police. 

Police suggest asking for a call-back number and call the person or their parents at their regular number, not the number given by the caller, to verify. 

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