Two cases of fraud have been reported to the Elkhart County Sheriff’s that targeted the elderly to the tune of thousands of dollars in gift cards.

Both cases involved a fictional but believable story about a loved one being in trouble and needing a large sum of money in a hurry, according to a press release.

Both instances had the person on the other end of the phone direct the victim to send money by way of gift cards at Target. An elderly Bristol woman, believed she was bailing her grandson out of trouble overseas and sent $4,000 in gift cards. Earlier this year, a woman in Osolo Township was tricked into sending $12,000 worth of gift cards.

No official would ever ask you to provide that form of payment. The public are reminded that they should first attempt to contact that loved one or other family members separately from the initial phone call to verify the information.

Anyone who believes they may have been the victim of a scam should report it to the police right away.