The Tiffin Police Department is warning residents of a phone scam targeting the elderly.
Interim Chief Fred Stevens said the police department has been receiving reports of elderly residents who have gotten calls from scammers alleging they are grandchildren on vacation and in need of money.
The scammers sometimes claim they are in jail and need bond money and others have said their cars are broken down. All of them ask to have money wired, he said.
Stevens said the scammers have gone so far as to search social networking Web sites to find out when users are on vacation and their grandparent's identity.
"Just be careful if you get calls like that," Stevens said. "Make sure they're truly on vacation and verify everything before you send any money."
Stevens said police are unable to do anything after money is wired, so using common sense and checking with other family members is the best bet.
"Make sure it's truly an event that's happened, contact the police department where the grandchild is at and check with other family members," he said.
