Stay Alert: Don't Fall Victim To The Fake Emergency Call Scam

A scam that has made its way to our region and preys on the vulnerability of parents' love for their children.

As parents, if you receive a frantic call from your kids telling you they're in trouble, there's no question that you'll do what you need to get your kid out of trouble.

According to a report on ABC6 Philadelphia, this is exactly the scenario that recently played out with a family in our region.

The Scam Starts With a Call

It all started with a call to the parents.

On the other end of the phone, a hysterical woman, sobbing and pleading for help.

The parents said the woman sounded exactly like their daughter.

Then another voice came on the phone.

The person claimed to be a police officer and informed the parents that their daughter had been responsible for a serious car accident, that resulted in the death of a pregnant woman and her baby.

The so-called officer informed the parents that their daughter had been placed under arrest.

Real Life or TV Drama

In a scenario that seemed to be right out of a television drama, the parents soon received a second call.

This time it was from someone posing as an attorney and informing them that they needed to pay a large sum to bail out their daughter.

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Early the next morning, a courier came to collect money. The parents gave the person $17,000 later that day a second courier picked up another $17,000.

After the money was paid, the couple's son-in-law called, and they immediately realized they had been victims of an elaborate hoax.

You can only imagine how embarrassed this couple must be.

This Scam is More Common Than You Think

Police say this scenario has played out in other parts of the country.

While these cases tend to remain unsolved, in this particular case, police say they're working on several leads.

They say that as we get older, we become the keeper of our parents.

As technology improves, these scams become more and more common.

It's important to make sure they never turn over money without double-checking. Call the police and get confirmation. Remain wary of any strangers who contact them.

Continue reading for more scams you need to be aware of.

Source: ABC6 Philadelphia

8 Things To Do If You Paid A Phone Scammer

Merciless phone scammers are targeting unaware folks with schemes involving pleas for charity, car warranties, unpaid traffic tickets, you name it. The Federal Trade Commission says, "Scammers often ask you to pay in ways that make it tough to get your money back. No matter what payment method you used to pay, the sooner you act, the better."

If you have paid one of these scammers and then realize you have been scammed, here are 8 tips from the Federal Trade Commission, on what to do if you have paid a scammer.

Gallery Credit: Brad Carpenter/Federal Trade Commission/Canva