Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office warns of uptick in scams

MASON CITY — The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public of a recent increase in scams targeting senior citizens locally.

They say there have been recent reports locally where seniors have been contacted by phone by a person stating a relative has been arrested and needs cash to be released from jail. The victims have provided cash to a person that arrives at the victim’s home acting as a courier. The victims were not aware that they were being scammed until after the cash was turned over and lost.

Recent cases reported to law enforcement identify a suspect as a well-dressed black male who was driving a black or dark-colored four-door SUV, possibly having a Minnesota license plate. Victims also report the male suspect may have been accompanied by an unknown female.

Citizens should be aware of these scams and never reveal personal information or agree to providing cash to an unknown person. If you are contacted in this manner or have fallen victim to this type of crime, you are asked to contact your local law enforcement agency to report it.