Owatonna Grandparents Lose $7K in Age-Old Scam

If you get a phone call supposedly from your grandchild asking for money because they are in trouble, think twice. Then call someone or the police before acting further. The Owatonna Police Department (OPD) reports local grandparents are out $7,000 after falling for this scam.

In the newsletter Just the Facts, the OPD indicates, "an unsuspecting victim took a phone call from a person purportedly to be the grandson to the caller." The male caller said he'd been arrested after being in a car crash and needed money.

"Unfortunately, the unsuspecting grandparents fell for this common scam, wiring over $7,000 to the alleged grandson, or in this case, a thief." The OPD urges caution in such cases, "Before you act on anyone asking for money over the phone, please verify the information on your own-call someone you trust of call the Owatonna Police Department and ask to speak with an officer."

TOO TIGHT A FIT

Just the Facts reports on a pair of incidents involving vehicles colliding with underpasses in late August. In one case, a camper trailer "impacted with the Mineral Springs Road bridge, shearing off appliances on the to of the camper."

The other case, two days later, resulted in a DWI arrest of a 59-year-old man from California after the semi-trailer truck he was driving became stuck under the railroad bridge on Riverside Avenue. The road was closed for a couple of hours.

HEALTH AND SAFETY FAIR CANCELED

Just the Facts states the Have a Healthy and Safe Season event scheduled from September 15 is canceled. No reason is given in the newsletter.

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