Full Notification

Police Warn of Prison Scam

Recently, officers have been contacted regarding incidents in the city where the elderly are contacted regarding a family member who has been "confined" in another location while on a trip to that country. The countries listed have included Mexico, Spain, and Canada and the contacts have told family members that a loved one was in jail for various offenses and needed money sent to them via Western Union to release them from jail.

The contacts have used family names and addresses obtained onlibne creating some sense of credibility, however any further contact information has come back invalid. Your telephone caller I.D. may come up with an unknown name and possibly a number such as (760)705-8888. This is not a good working number, it returns as a general number to an internet telepone (non traceable).

The Des Peres Department of Public Safety would like to warn the general public, but specifically the elderly, who seem to be the targets of this scam to not send any money to outside sources claiming to be an official from another police department or other entity conducting business in that country. If contacted, make every effort to confirm with other family members the validity of the claim. DO NOT SEND MONEY! Phone the police department at 314-835-6200 to file a report.