Person claiming to be grandson scammed man over telephone

Authorities are again warning of the “grandparents scam” after a north Spokane County man wired nearly $20,000 to Peru.

The man said he received a call about 10 a.m. Tuesday from a man he thought was his grandson. The caller said he needed $2,400 to get out of jail and that if he wired the money to Lima, Peru, they would avoid a two-day waiting period, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

He did so, and the man called again saying the judge increased bail and he needed $6,250. He transferred that money, then transferred another $6,250 upon request.

The man called again Wednesday about 9:30 a.m. and asked for $4,800 to pay lawyer fees. The victim transferred the money, but he refused another request for money that afternoon and called the Sheriff’s Office.

It turns out the man was not his grandson.

The Sheriff’s Office on Thursday released the phone numbers the man called from as part of a warning to the public:  438-998-6142, 514-458-3080, 438-993-6948 and 438-998-6142.

Similar scams were reported in spring 2010, December 2010 and in fall 2009. Anyone with elderly relatives should warn them of the scam.

Superior Court judge sues District Court over vacation

Spokane County Superior Court Judge Annette Plese has filed a lawsuit against her old employer, Spokane County District Court, over about 29 days of vacation that Plese claims is still owed to her.

Plese’s attorney, Anthony V. Alfieri, filed the suit on her behalf earlier this month in Lincoln County, seeking reimbursement of the unused vacation totaling $15,805.

She resigned her position as District Court judge on Jan. 9, 2009, upon her election as a Superior Court judge. She declined to comment about the suit, calling it a simple wage dispute.

Jim Emacio, chief deputy civil prosecuting attorney, did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.