Herrin, Ill. – Herrin Police are warning residents of a telephone scam targeting grandparents.

Police say the scammer calls and pretends to be a grandchild who is in a foreign country, in distress, asking for money to be wired to a specific location.

The caller says they need money due to an accident, injury, theft or an arrest and often tells the person they call that no other family members should be involved because it would be embarrassing.

Sometimes, they even have the correct name of a grandchild. This is either because they researched their target online beforehand or the victim unknowingly gave up the name of a grandchild or relative during the conversation.

Police say you can protect yourself by never wiring money to someone you don’t know.