Glen Rock Grandma Scammed Out of $90K, One Suspect in Custody

An 86-year-old Glen Rock resident has fallen prey to a to the tune of $90,000 but authorities say a person of interest in Los Angeles has been apprehended and they think half the money might be recovered.

According to Detective Sgt. Eric Reamy, on Friday a male caller pretending to be her grandson told the woman he was in jail in Los Angeles following a DUI-related car accident. The caller said because he was from out of state and there were injuries to another party, his bail was set at $155,000 and he needed her help bailing him out.

Another caller claiming to be the grandson's lawyer further prodded her to wire the money, Reamy said.

"She fell for it unfortunately," the detective told Patch Tuesday afternoon. "She went downtown to the bank, cashed in a CD, wired $90,000 to a bank in Los Angeles."

On Friday, two checks totalling $46,000 were cashed, Reamy said. "We were able to protect the remaining $44,000 once we found out about the case through cooperation of the banks," he added.

The victim contacted Glen Rock police after her bank notified her there was suspicion of a scam and later discovered her grandson had not actually been in California, Reamy said.

The Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Division and the FBI's Los Angeles branch are involved in the investigation and apprehended a female suspect at the Chase Bank Branch in Hollywood, where the remaining checks were to be cashed.

"They have a female in custody who they are questioning and they do have other people they're looking for," Reamy said. The detective said law enforcement officials in California have not released further information on the suspect in custody or charges that are pending.

"We hope that the evidence we provided to LAPD will lead to more arrests," he said.

The borough woman, whose identity was not released, is not likely to see the $46,000 figure already cashed but should be able to retain the remaining sum not cashed, he said. 

Last month a after a man claiming to be her grandson said he was in a car accident and needed money wired to Nicaragua.

In response to the grandparent scams to hit borough residents, to better help residents protect themselves and loved ones from scams.

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