Grand Forks police say the over-the-phone grandkid scam has surfaced once again.
The scammers' stories vary, but the gist of their fraud continues to center on a supposed plea from a grandchild in Canada who's in trouble and needs money, detective Mike Flannery said Tuesday.
Sometimes the caller poses as a grandchild; other times the caller claims to be a law enforcement officer saying the grandchild is having legal issues or a doctor saying the grandchild is injured, he said.
"They're cold calls, and they just let the conversation take them where they will," Flannery said. "It all comes down to the same old shtick: Wire money to Canada."
He said scammers sometimes request money be sent to a city other than where the caller claims to be.
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Flannery said no one has been taken in by the scam recently, but attempts have been reported. He advises anyone who receives such a call to get a callback number and independently verify where their grandchild is.
