Ongoing Scam Attempts

DATE & TIME: 06-17-2019 @ 1432

LOCATION: Rural Firth Nebraska

OFFENSE: Ongoing Scam Attempts

CASE #: 2019-3164

A Gage County resident of rural Firth, Nebraska is the victim of an ongoing attempts at theft by deception. The resident had previously lost money in a scam that was reported to the Gage County Sheriff’s Office. The suspect(s) have subsequently continued to contact the victim, most recently twice in one day. First, via a ruse in which the suspects called a plumber from Hallam, Nebraska, with the suspect telling him he was the son of the victim and the pipes in her house were leaking. The suspect had the plumber call him back when he arrived at the residence, then told the plumber to hand the phone to the victim. She immediately recognized the voice of the suspect and told the plumber this was a scam and she did not need a plumber. She did not lose any money during this incident. 

An hour later the suspect called emergency dispatchers in Lancaster County, stating he was the grandson of the victim and he could not get her to answer the phone and wanted a welfare check on her. Lancaster County communications transferred the call to Southeast Communications and a Gage County Sheriff’s Office deputy was dispatched. The deputy spoke with the resident and she informed him she did not have a grandson by that name. The deputy contacted a Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator who investigated the original scam and theft. The investigator has been working with the victim, the victim’s bank and financial adviser, as well as the Mid-States Organized Crime Center on the original case. It is believed the ringleaders of this scam are operating outside the continental United States with confederates throughout United States who pick up the money the victim sends as part of the scam.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Investigator T. Hanson #90310