Grandfather loses $7,100 in bail scam

A Gardnerville Ranchos man told deputies he sent more than $7,100 to Mexico, believing his grandson had been arrested on marijuana charges that turned out to be false.

The victim said he and his wife received a call March 5 from someone they thought was their grandson that he had been arrested in Mexico City for driving under the influence and needed a cashier's check for nearly $4,000 wired to an account in Mexico.

The man said he sent the money, then received another call March 8 that officials found marijuana in the car and needed another $3,300 to drop the charges and allow their grandson to come home.

The man wired the second amount and was told his grandson would be home on March 10. When he hadn't heard from his grandson, the man called him on his cell phone, and asked how his trip was.

The man told his grandfather he had been working all week, and hadn't been to Mexico.

That's when the victim realized he'd been scammed and contacted the sheriff's office.

The deputy told the victim it was unlikely he would get his money back because it was sent out of the country.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office offered the following tips to protect residents from similar scams:

-- Ask to speak to the family member. If denied, attempt to contact the relative or family member they are calling about to confirm their whereabouts.

-- If the caller claims to be at a jail or police station, ask where and get the telephone number so you can call back. Confirm the phone number using the Internet or directory assistance before calling.

-- Try to confirm the caller's legitimacy by asking them for the full name, date of birth, Social Security number and city/state of birth of the detained family member. These are all standard booking questions.

-- Advise the caller to confirm the relative's detention by having them ask the arrested relative for unconventional information, for example, their elementary school, the street where they grew up, or the name of family pet.

Anyone who has been the victim of a scam is asked to contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at 782-9935.