Press release
The Albion Police Department is investigating several phone scams that have been attempted and completed within the Village of Albion.
The scam involves the victim receiving a phone call from an unknown out of state phone number and the caller advising the victim that one of their family members has been arrested and taken into custody by “the Drug Task Force”.
The caller then advises that bail money is needed to get the family member released from custody. The caller, identifying themselves as law enforcement, then instructs the victim to send cash inside a random book that is placed into a box and shipped via UPS to an out of state address.
The victim is advised to send the package with the money via next day delivery and to call back with the tracking number provided with the shipment. The caller informs the victim that they and their family member are in danger if they tell anyone about the arrest.
On one occasion, the victim was allowed to talk to the “family member in
custody”. The victim stated that the voice was muffled and hard to hear, thus making a recognition of the voice impossible.
On one occasion, the caller requested more money on a second call and gave a different out of state address to ship to. The money was sent to addresses that were vacant homes that were for sale or otherwise unoccupied.
One of these cases involved the loss of $15,000.00 from the victim.
Law enforcement never solicits bail money and never requests money or funds to be sent via mail or other means of delivery.
The Albion Police Department is working with our federal partners in this investigation.
These types of phone scams are almost impossible to trace and are very common.