Scam Alert: The Enterprise police Department would like to inform the public of a popular scam that has shown up recently in the Enterprise area. The potential victim will receive a phone call from a subject purporting to be a representative of a U.S. Embassy. The subject will inform them that a relative of theirs is in jail and requires money from them to either post bail or finance a defense. The subject will request money to be transferred electronically.

In a recent report received from a local citizen, the initial caller claimed to be the victim’s grandson. He stated that he had been a passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by local police in Guatemala and searched. A large amount of illegal drugs had been found in the car and the driver and other passengers had been arrested. He claimed to that he was being held as a witness in the case but required a bond to ensure his appearance in court. The victim was able to call and verify that his grandson was not in Guatemala but was in fact at home here in the United States.

These scams are very elaborate including lots of details about the scenario and even toll free numbers to return calls. The caller will always request that money be sent by wire transfer. We would like to encourage everyone to independently verify information if you receive this type of phone call. Calls from foreign embassies can be verified by calling the United States Department of State.