The Bossier Financial Crimes Task Force is advising area residents -- especially the elderly -- to watch out for the "Grandparent Scam."

Here's how it works: Somebody will call an elderly person claiming to be a grandchild in need of a large amount of money for an emergency. Maybe they're jailed in a foreign country and need bail money or they're in the hospital and need money fast for medical expenses.

The scammers are believed to be getting their information from marketing lists, telephone listings, obituaries, social networks, and other sources before calling their targeted victims.

Financial Crimes Task Force agents say -- don't fall for the scam! They offer these tips:

Do not fill in the blanks for the caller. The scammers usually don't know the names of the grandchildren but are relying on their victim to provide that information. Ask them to give you their name. They'll likely hang up.

Verify the whereabouts of your family members by calling other family members or the grandchild they claim to be. Do not use any telephone numbers provided by the caller.

Never send money unless you have verified that your relative is really in trouble.

This scam is not new to Bossier City, but agents say that over the past few weeks it's been resurfacing. In one case, a woman lost $5,000.

More From News Radio 710 KEEL