OKANOGAN – Okanogan County Sheriff Frank Rogers is warning people about a scam coming out of Canada.
     “We’ve had several complaints in the last few months and few folks from the county have been scammed out of money by the suspects,” he said. “This particular scam has been going on for several years and if you go to the Internet you can find several articles on the scam, which is nationwide.”
     He said the scam usually involves a a phone call to seniors, especially grandparents. The caller say that a grandson needs financial help in Canada, usually in the Ontario area.
     “The caller will identify himself as an attorney and tell you that your grandchild is in trouble for some reason and needs to have money wired to them through Western Union,” he said. “They will also have someone talk to the grandparents impersonating their grandchild. They will ask that their parents don’t find out so they ask the grandparents not to call anyone and just send the money.”
     Rogers said people should never send money to anyone after receiving such a call.
     “Before you do anything, try to locate or call the grandchild that is supposedly in jail and if you have to, call other family members,” he said.
     He also suggested contacting the sheriff’s office or other law enforcement agency.
     “Bottom line, if you have any doubt or are not sure, call us before you do anything,” he said.
     He also suggested contacting the Better Business Bureau or, if requested to wire money to Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre, which has established the PhoneBusters hotline and Web site to report such fraud.
     PhoneBusters can be reached at www.phonebusters.com or 888-495-8501.