The phone scam is the same one you’ve heard about: a panicked young voice, ‘Grandma, I’ve been in an accident, I’m in jail, please don’t tell mom and dad.’ What’s new and worth its own entry is the in-person pickup. A bail bondsman or court courier comes to the door, sometimes in a polo shirt and a clipboard, and collects an envelope of cash. Sometimes thousands of dollars. The crew is local. The dispatcher is anywhere.
The reason this version is worth knowing about is that it bypasses every ‘don’t wire money’ instinct people have built up. There’s no wire. There’s no gift card. There’s a real human being at the door who seems professional. And the older adult who’s already shaken from the call now has to refuse a person standing in front of them.