LAS VEGAS (FOX5) -
Con artists are extorting thousands of dollars from unsuspecting families by using information about their relatives against them, according to Las Vegas Metro police.
The scheme is commonly known as the "grandparent scam" because the suspects target older generations.
One man, who wished to stay anonymous, told FOX5 he received an early morning phone call that his granddaughter had been arrested in Mexico City, and needed $2,250 to fly home and avoid jail.
The woman sounded identical to his granddaughter and knew specific information about her and her family, he said.
Desperate to help, he wired the money down.
However, once the callers requested even more money, the victim knew he had been scammed.
"I had trouble sleeping because it kept going through my mind, why did I do this?" he said.
Police suggest families to have an open conversation about travel plans, leave personal details out of emails, and have a code word ready in case someone gets a phone call and the caller can't be identified.
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