When a loved one is in trouble, it's a no-brainer to help them. That is why when an 82-year-old Sugar Land man got a call that he needed to bail his son-in-law out of jail, he didn't hesitate and went to the bank to withdraw money.
But it turns out the call may have been AI-generated, and unfortunately, the bad guys got away with thousands."The phone rang, and I answered the phone, and he said this is Sgt. Matthew. Your son-in-law has been in a serious accident," Jerry, whose family requested to have him referred to by his first name only, said.He said a man claiming to be with the San Antonio Police Department called, saying that since his son-in-law was at fault for a crash, he was in jail.
Jerry added that the caller told him he needed to get $9,500 cash to get Michael out, then an additional $7,500. So he went to the bank, got it, and waited for a courier driver at his and his wife's assisted living facility in Sugar Land.Jerry might not be the last to lose thousands from something too genuine to be faked. Tonight on Eyewitness News at 10 p.m., experts are offering ways you can avoid a costly trick.