Man Loses $20K After Caller Claims To Be His Child In Distress: NLPD

NEW LENOX, IL — A New Lenox man was scammed out of $20,000 by a caller claiming to be his adult child in need of help.

New Lenox police were called May 27 to a home on Heartland Drive, for a report of deceptive practices.

A man told police he had received a call from someone purporting to be his adult child, according to police reports. The caller was in tears, and had reportedly been involved in an accident, the man told police. The caller said they were in jail, and another person then on the call claimed to be the caller's attorney. That person told the man to transfer money using a Coinbase machine at Jewel-Osco on Nelson Road in New Lenox.

The man had transferred $20,000 in cryptocurrencies, when his child called and said they had not been in an accident, nor were they in jail.

The man then realized he had fallen victim to a scam, and contacted police.

The incident is under review for assignment or closure, according to reports.