The Pike County Sheriff’s Office has received word that a scam has resurfaced in West Central Illinois. Pike County Sheriff David Greenwood said in a press release this afternoon that there have been several complaints in Pike County of callers from an unknown number identifying themselves as a family member needing financial assistance, indicating they are in trouble.
Usually they say they are in trouble due to being arrested following a vehicle crash or vehicle stop and they need money sent to them to get out of jail. Most of the times they will actually have the name of and use the name of your loved one. Greenwood warns not to send the person any money. He says it most often preys upon the elderly. If you send money, your money cannot be retrieved and the scammers will probably never be identified. Greenwood says to hang up immediately and write down the phone number if you have caller ID. If you receive one of these calls, you can contact the Pike County Sheriff’s Department at 217-285-5011 or your local county sheriff’s office to report it or to confirm whether or not your loved one is incarcerated.
