Police Alert: Seniors are target for deceptive hoax

Seniors between the ages of seventy and ninety are the target of hoaxes via the telephone. Someone will call an intended victim claiming to be a friend of the victim's relative who is in distress and needs money wired to them. 

The perpetrators vary their stories.  Some times the purported friend is incarcerated and in need of bond money. Sometimes the request is for the money to be wire-transferred and the relative  needs the money because their wallet and  credit cards were stolen. 

What you can do: 
Tell your family, neighbors and friends about these hoaxes. Encourage seniors you know to not respond to requests without properly knowing the situation and be aware that such hoaxes have no age requirement. To be safe: 

•  Verify the circumstances of such a call with a family member or a trusted friend
•  Confer with a family member or a trusted friend before withdrawing and wiring large sums of money 
•  File a complaint with the money transfer agent such as Western Union or MoneyGram
• Call 311 or call your local Chicago Police District Office and ask for the CAPS Senior Citizen Liaison Officer

For more information: Call 13th District Police at 312.746.8350 or 14th District Police at 312.744.8290.