Loudon County, TN (WOKI) A Canadian woman is arrested Thursday in Loudon County, accused of bilking people out of at least $60,000 in a scamming operation.
Officials with the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office say Soki Hangi of Quebec was part of a scamming operation spanning Loudon and Monroe Counties wherein the suspects were calling older adults, claiming to be their grandchildren.
LCSO says the suspects, posing as grandchildren of the victims, would call claiming they’ve been arrested and need money for bail.
“The scammer will call, act as if they are the grandchild of the victim, and convince the victim that they (the supposed grandchild) have been arrested and need money for bail,” the office said. “The scammer is even using the same nicknames that the grandchild would call the grandparent (Grandpa, Mamaw, etc.) that helps further convince the victim that they are actually the victim’s grandchild.”
Hangi was reportedly acting as a courier, the person who would pick up the “bail money” from the victims.
Officials urge those who may also have been fooled by this scam to call police at 865-458-9081.