It’s a good idea to be careful if you receive a phone call from someone who claims to be needing money to bail a relative out of jail. According to a press release, staff at the Shasta County Jail recently contacted patrol deputies after speaking with an elderly couple who had shown up at the jail lobby to confirm that their grandson was being held there. He wasn’t. The couple had apparently been contacted by an unknown subject via phone and was told their grandson was in legal trouble and that he needed money. They were told he was an attorney who would be able to help their grandson. The man, had instructed them to bring a large amount of cash to a local grocery store and call him when they got there. As the couple arrived at the business with the cash, they began to suspect they were being scammed. They notified the suspected scammer that they wanted to verify the information about their grandson and advised that they were going to go to the jail to confirm. Thankfully, they did not meet or give money to the suspected scammers. The Sheriffs Office says an additional scan involves attempts to receive payment over the telephone to clear fines or other penalties. The Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement organizations will never seek payment in this way. If you are concerned after getting a call like this, you should call law enforcement to report it.