Grandparent scam resurfaces

Elgin police are seeing in increase in the number of money scams this month, which they think may be a result of the poor economy.

At about 9 a.m. on Aug. 23 an 88-year-old Elgin woman received a call from a man claiming to be a police officer who told her that her grandson was in trouble and needed money for a court appearance, Elgin police said.

The woman ended up wiring the man more than $5,000.

"Typically they say don't share this information with the parents. This will get them in more trouble," said Elgin police spokeswoman Sue Olafson.

The fraud, which Olafson described as a "grandparent scam" has been reported "more and more often" in August, Olafson said.

"Somebody makes it appear that a family member or grandchild is in jail or being held and they need money," she said. "They play on many senior citizens' fears that their grandchild is in fact in trouble."