This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The Utah Division of Consumer Protection has received a report of a scam artist calling grandparents of a Mormon missionary claiming that their grandchild was in trouble and needed them to send money,
The Idaho grandparents receiving the call sent $3,885 via wire transfer to an alleged bail bondsman for bail and court fees to aid their grandson who supposedly faced DUI charges, according to Jennifer Bolton with the Utah Department of Commerce.
The details of the family's account mirror the reports of others who have reported "grandparent scam" calls to the Division of Consumer Protection, Bolton said.
"If family members receive a call of this nature, they should always hang up with the caller and contact the mission office or the church's Missionary Department to verify the information," stated Elder Brent H. Nielson, executive director of the LDS Church's Missionary Department. "If a missionary is indeed in trouble, the church would reach out to the family through their stake president, and would never ask for money from the family."
Mormon families with missionaries currently serving are advised to be careful about what they communicate publicly regarding their children's location, names of companions or any other identifying details as to their location which could be used for fraud, Bolton said.
"Missionary families please be aware that fraudsters may be combing social media for names of grandchildren to create a fake emergency over the phone," warned Francine A. Giani, executive director of the Utah Department of Commerce. "If you receive one of these calls, please hang up and call their parents before sending any money anywhere."
The Utah-based Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has more than 74,000 full-time missionaries across the globe.