Scams in Oktibbeha County

Scams in Oktibbeha County

Details.

That is right joey, and you may have guessed it... these criminals are targeting the elderly.

The scammers are playing on the emotions of their victims...using their grandchildren as bait... and it's costing those senior residents thousands of dollars... it begins with a phone call... scammers finding ways to make money the quickest way possible... "they are making big money."

Oktibbeha county sheriff steve gladney says scammers are targeting a soft spot when scamming the elderly folks sot - steve gladney - oktibbeha county sheriff "somebody will be masquerading as an elderly person's grandchild or something and once she says their name, they takeoff with it.

Then in a few minutes they'll say look the attorney needs to speak with you.

Then they'll give the phone to him or somebody masquerading as an attorney and saying that the child is in trouble and needs some money or he's going to jail."

The victims in these scams are local and some live out of state.

Gladney says folks should be extra cautious when giving personal information over the phone... sot - steve gladney - oktibbeha county sheriff "if anybody calls you and says they are law- enforcement or they are the federal agents or something and ask you to send money, then it's a scam.

We don't call anybody and say you need to go and get three cards from walmart and give us the number and that type deal."

On cam bridge..

"and it is these gift cards that scammers have been using as a go to.

And with this card in particular you can load up to $500 a pop something scammers have been using so frequently."

Sot - john michael lay - detective sgt.

Starkville police dept.

"and so they put the money on the card because the person that they were talking to has correct information."

Detective sergeant john michael lay of starkville police department..

Says lottery scams have also been a common issue..

Sot - john michael lay - detective sgt.

Starkville police dept.

"you won you pay kind of scam.

The lottery scam you know you won a million dollars but i need you to pay the taxes on it first and then you send you know $5000 and you never see any more money."

Lay says scammers have a way try and sweet talk people out of their own money.

"there are bad people that are out there and they will try and take an honest person's savings or an honest person's honesty and use it against them.

They will take the goodness of someone's heart or the protection of your family or do what you think you're supposed to be doing for your business and use it against you."