Dialing for Dollars

Most savvy New Yorkers know that if a Nigerian prince sends an email about lottery winnings, it's highly likely it's a scam to try and separate you from your hard-earned money. But, could a prodigal grandson be in trouble in a foreign country? It's possible, but not probable, as a 94-year-old woman on the Upper East Side found out after an urgent call on Monday, March 11. The man on the end of the line told the woman her grandson was in serious trouble in Mexico City, Mexico. According to police, the caller told the woman to wire transfer money to Mexico City to help her grandson. Police said the woman sent a total of $1,530 to the mystery caller's number in Mexico. The only problem, according to police, was the woman found out her grandson had never traveled to Mexico City. Police are investigating the incident but have few leads.