Do you recognize this man? State police are searching for a person who they said was involved in a bail scam in East Haddam last week.
The resident contacted state police and said they received a phone call on Friday saying a family member was in custody after being involved in a crash.
According to the resident, they were informed that a bail bondsman would contact them by phone and would arrange to pick up the amount of cash required for their family member's bond at the resident's home.
In a second call, the resident said the amount of cash needed was discussed. The scammer reportedly told the resident that someone would arrive at their home to pick up the cash in person.
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About one hour later, the resident said someone arrived at their home and picked up the cash.
State police released a photo of the person who reportedly picked up the money at the home. In the photo, the male appears to be wearing dark-colored pants and a dark jacket. He also had a backpack on.
Once the scammer left with the cash, the resident said they contacted the family member who had allegedly been involved in the crash and taken into custody. It was then the resident learned that they had been the victim of a bail scam.
The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information should contact Connecticut State Police Troop K in Colchester at (860) 465-5400.
State police have several tips you should remember about phone scams:
- If you receive a call from a stranger saying a relative is in custody, you should contact that relative directly and/or other family members who can determine if it is true.
- If you have been instructed not to speak with anyone about transferring cash or other items of monetary value, think about that being a warning sign that this may not be legitimate.
- Never give out your banking information, credit card numbers, social security number, medical insurance information or other personal identifying information.
- Before giving that type of information away, you should call the official telephone number of the bank, medical provider or government agency to make sure the request is legitimate.
- Legitimate government agencies will not request fees, fines or bail bonds be paid with gift cards, cryptocurrency, through an ATM machine or by wire transfer.
- If you have been the victim of a scam, you should contact police as soon as possible.
