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A Fillmore County resident from Lanesboro is sharing his experience after losing thousands of dollars in a sophisticated phone scam that impersonated a family member and exploited fear, urgency, and trust.
The man, who is nearing 90 years old and asked not to be identified, said the scam began with a phone call that sounded exactly like his granddaughter.
“She said, ‘Grandpa, this is your granddaughter, and I may need some help,’” he recalled. “She was very emotional.”
The caller claimed she had been riding in a friend’s vehicle in the Twin Cities when the driver ran a red light and was pulled over by police. According to the story, officers searched the vehicle and allegedly found a large quantity of drugs, resulting in her being detained as an accessory.
Believing the caller was his granddaughter, the Lanesboro resident stayed on the line.
Shortly afterward, another call came in. This time, a man identified himself as a court-appointed attorney handling the case.
“He said she was in a lot of trouble,” the victim said. “Even though he said she might be innocent, he kept telling me she was still in serious trouble.”
The caller claimed bond money was needed immediately and repeatedly warned him not to speak to anyone about the situation.
“He emphasized it over and over,” he said. “He told me the worst thing I could do was talk to anybody, because if the court found out, it would make things much worse for my granddaughter.”
The bond amount requested was $8,600.
Concern for his granddaughter’s safety overrode his normal caution.
“I was worried about her,” he said. “That was real.”
Following the instructions he was given, the Fillmore County man went to his bank to withdraw the cash. Bank employees questioned him closely and appeared uneasy about the transaction.
“They were reluctant to hand out that much cash,” he said.
Because he had been instructed not to discuss the situation, he felt compelled to provide a false explanation for the withdrawal.
After receiving the cash, he was told to place the money in a shoebox, add weight, seal it with duct tape, and send it overnight via UPS to an address in California.
The package was sent and delivered.
That evening, another call came from a woman who again sounded exactly like his granddaughter, thanking him for his support. At the time, there was no reason to believe the earlier emergency had been fabricated.
“She said, ‘Grandpa, thank you for what you did today. I’m really tired, I just put the girls to bed,’” he said. “Everything she said lined up perfectly.”
The following morning, the man posing as the attorney called again, claiming police had discovered additional contraband and that new charges had been filed. A second bond payment of $12,800 was demanded, with warnings that his granddaughter could remain in jail for weeks without it.
He returned to the bank, but this time employees intervened.
“One of the tellers told me something was wrong,” he said. “She said she didn’t think I should have the money.”
The matter escalated to bank management, where the bank president warned him directly that he was being scammed.
“He told me, ‘You’re going to get taken,’” the victim said.
Only after that intervention did he contact another family member, who quickly confirmed that his granddaughter was safe, free, had never been arrested, and knew nothing about what was going on. The second payment was never sent.
“Thank God for the bank personnel,” he said. “They stopped me.”
Later, he learned that the California address used for the first shipment appeared to be an empty residence, likely serving as a temporary drop location. The money from that shipment was never recovered.
According to the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office, the circumstances closely match a well-documented fraud known as the “grandparent scam.” In this scheme, criminals impersonate a family member in distress and pressure older adults into sending money quickly.
State consumer protection officials note that secrecy is a hallmark of the scam. Victims are often told not to contact other family members, banks, or law enforcement, preventing them from verifying the story before money is sent.
Looking back, the Lanesboro resident said the instruction not to talk to anyone now stands out as the clearest warning sign.
“If someone tells you not to talk to anybody, that should be a red flag,” he said.
He also remains disturbed by how accurately the caller mimicked his granddaughter’s voice and mannerisms.
“There was no question in my mind,” he said. “The voice, the way she talked, it was right on.”
Emerging technology may be making these scams even more convincing, he added.
“I’ve heard the technology exists now to duplicate voices,” he said. “That really makes you wonder where this is headed.”
In the days after the incident, he struggled with embarrassment and self-blame.
“You feel foolish,” he said.
After several days of reflection, the Fillmore County resident decided to share his story publicly in hopes of helping others avoid similar scams.
“How many people has this happened to that are too embarrassed to say anything?” he asked.
The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office advises residents to verify emergency claims by contacting family members directly using known phone numbers and to be cautious of anyone who pressures them to act immediately or keep the situation secret.
He echoed that advice.
“I had my granddaughter’s phone number,” he said. “I could have called her myself.”
He hopes sharing his experience will encourage others to slow down, verify information, and refuse to be rushed into secrecy.
“If this helps even one person,” he said, “then something good came out of it.”
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