Social media could be fueling phone scam - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Imagine getting a phone call like this, "Hi, I'm your grandson I've either been arrested, I've been in a car wreck, I'm in the hospital, I need money."

Hoover Police Captain Jim Coker says at least three residents got that type of call and wired thousands of dollars thinking their grandson was in trouble.

"There's a real emotional thing because the victims have told us 'you know it sounded like he had been crying or something,'" said Coker.

Coker isn't sure how the scam artists are getting victims' personal information but he says social media websites like Facebook could be to blame.

"So many people put so much information out there you can find that tells you about your family.  This is probably one of the common threads that's being used for this," said Coker.

Aaron Thompson has gotten similar scam calls before.  Thompson owns an IT company and offers this advice on protecting yourself from becoming a victim.

"Everybody has their mobile number on Facebook and things like that and I think that's where a lot of these numbers come from so it's a smart idea to take your number off your facebook page, myspace page, linked in.  Don't make it public.  Only available to your friends," said Thompson.

Hoover resident Mike Morgan says he's careful about what he posts on his Facebook page.  He thinks people become victims because they're too trusting.

"If one of my relatives said they were in trouble I'd have to have a voice conversation with them before I would ever send them any money or something of that nature," said Morgan.

Coker says if you get a phone call and it seems suspicious double check with your family members to really see if they're in trouble.  Also, report the phone call immediately.

Several other law enforcement agencies like the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department have reported similar cases.

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