My mother was also "almost" the victim of a scam.  These morons with Montreal Canada phone numbers are calling the elderly in the United States pricesly because they are trusting.  The nuimber they used to call my mother was 438-401-6831.  So I called the number and talked to some low life scum bag who called himself Sergeant Miller supposedly at the US Consulate in Cancun Mexico.  Fortunately I've traveled enough to know that the area code for Montreal Canada is 438 and that was my first clue that this was a scam.  This moron told me that our son was arrested in Mexico, that he had been in prison for drugs for 3 days, that they required $2,800 to get him out and that the money had to be wired to an individual (so called bail bondsman?) in Panama.  Then before the conversation was over this dumb a** told me that the amount had just gone up to $4,500 ?  No wonder these coward idiots can't hold down a real job, they can't even keep their stupid scam straight.  Is it any wonder why - I have never been on and I continue to stay off, ALL social media, since obviously that is where they are getting basic information to begin the con.

My mother received a phone call from 438-401-7379 on Nov. 16, 2011. Same as cj wrote, someone who 'pretended to be her grandson' said he was in jail..on drug charges (people he rented a car with to go to a funeral in canada') Asked her to wire them 2900.00...the "police' a man who called himself a sgt Marcus Hughes, badge # 601, and this return phone # then called back and said that she needed to go immediately to the bank and withdraw cash and send via Western Union...to the Dominican Republic...not to tell anyone what she was doing.

My mom believed that she was talking to her grandson who acted upset and scared. She probably also supplied his name. Unfortunately, my mom believed them enough to send $2900 via western union (+ the $204 service charge) to Ricardo Minaya. The elderly are trusting and I have told my mom time and time again about scams, but she really thought she was talking with her grandson on the phone. Please pass this on. I never believed my mother would fall for something like this.

Beware of scams...someone I know just recieved a weird phone call from someone who 'pretended to be her grandson' said he was in jail..on drug charges (people he rented a car with to go to a funeral in canada') Asked her to wire them 2900.00...the "police' a man who called himself a sgt Marcus Hughes, badge # 601, and this return phone # then called back and said that she needed to go immediately to the bank and withdraw cash and send via Western Union...to the Dominican Republic...not to tell anyone what she was doing as he would be arrested in the US..and this was going through the American Embassy...

This lady I know has been upset all day..thinking that her grandson was in so much trouble and she was ready and willing to help any way she could..He called again this am..she told him she was busy talking to the police re: this info and he hung up..called all of her family and her grandson assured her he was safe and not in trouble

Also this guy only stated that her loved one was in trouble never used her family members name..she supplied it..If you dont know someone dont volunteer information. EVER..