KITTS HILL — A scam targeting grandparents has been reported in Lawrence County.

A Kitts Hill man reported being the target of such a scam Friday, when a man claiming to be his grandson asked for money to pay for damages to a vehicle during a car accident.

According to a sheriff’s report, the person told the man that the people who were in the other vehicle during the accident were flying to the Dominican Republic and that he had been injured.

When the man questioned the man about his not sounding like his grandson, the man reportedly said, “Grandpa, I have cut my lip, chipped my tooth, broke my nose and damaged my arm and that’s why I sound different.”

The man claiming to be his grandson further said he was in a holding cell with an attorney. A man claiming to be the attorney told him that a judge had set a fine of $3,620 for damages before the grandson would be let go. He requested that the man send the money through Western Union and that he not tell anyone about the accident or the money because the grandson feared his mother finding out, according to the report.

The Kitts Hill man then took the money as requested and had it sent to a man in Santiago, Dominican Republic.

It was only when the man’s daughter told him that his grandson was actually at home and was home the previous night as well did he realize that he had been the target of a scam. The money was ultimately returned to the man.

According to the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, as of Friday, more than 30 of these scams have been reported since Jan. 10.

In some of the cases, the scammer targeted the grandparents of people who were actually on vacation in various places.

“We want to protect Ohio families from this scam, especially as we approach the spring and summer months, when many families take vacations,” DeWine said in a news release. “Scam artists may check social networking websites to learn about someone’s vacation plans and then contact that person’s grandparents pretending to be the real grandchild.”

Lawrence County Sheriff Jeff Lawless also urged people to be aware.

“Make phone calls and see that he really is in need,” Lawless said. “Be cautious and alert.”

DeWine warns people to avoid posting travel information online and never wire money to anyone who calls unexpectedly, even if the person claims to be a family member.

If in doubt, a person should ask the person making the request a question that only the actual grandchild or family member would know. They can also establish a code word with that family member for added security.