MADISON (WKOW) -- Madison police are concerned after another person falls victim to a phone scam.
An 88-year-old Madison woman took a phone cal, Monday, from someone she believed to be part of local law enforcement.
The telephone crooks used a technique they've used before by claiming to be "Commander Jeffrey Hook" from the "Dane County Sheriff's Department".
"Commander Jeffrey Hook" told the woman she was being transferred to "U.S. Attorney Bill Humphries," who added her to a conference call with "Judge Patricia Windmell."
"Commander Hook" then told the victim he had body camera footage of deputies knocking on her door, leaving a federal subpoena for jury duty in her mailbox.
He said because she failed to show to her court appearance, she had only a few hours to wire $500 bail if she didn't want to be taken into custody by U.S. Marshals.
Officials say many of the details the scam artist gave the victim seemed plausible, so the woman contacted her daughter to see what she should do.
The daughter looked into the claims at both the real Federal Courthouse and Dane County Sheriff's Office, both of which advised the daughter it sounded like a scam.
The victim's son ended up calling the number left by "Hook" and despite the suspicious nature of the interaction, both the son and daughter decided to wire the $500 just in case.
A MPD officer later confirmed their gut feelings were right.
Law enforcement says the most confusing part of the scam is some the people the con artists impersonate are real people.
In this case if you were to do a little research you would find that there is a real Jeff Hook at the real Dane County Sheriff's Office.
For more on this story: http://www.wkow.com/story/34517801/2017/02/16/police-warn-of-phone-scam-after-phony-commander-jeffery-hook-strikes-again-victimizing-another-dane-county-resident