Crime & Safety

Weston Detective Warns Residents of Recent Scams

A con-artist calling a senior citizen claiming to be her grandson says he's in trouble and needs money wired by Western Union.

A caller claiming to be a representative from Microsoft says your computer has a virus. He can fix it remotely, but he first needs your log in information, date of birth and Social Security number.


Both scams are nothing new, but on Friday Det. Carl Filsinger said Weston police have been getting a rising number of complaints from residents lately, with around five calls about the "grandparents scam" last week alone.

In the grandparents scam, Filsinger said criminals will cold call an elderly person and pick up on information during the conversation. For instance, he may tell a woman he's her grandson and when she asks, "Carl?" he'll say "Yes grandma, it's Carl."

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild and telling you he's in trouble, Filsinger says to "check with your family first" before sending any money.

Weston police are also conducting a fraud investigation in which a Weston resident's personal information was breached through his email account.

Filsinger reminds residents to routinely change their email passwords and to report spam.


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