The Michigan State Police Niles Post is a warning the community of a recent scam that nearly cost a local resident $2,000.

Det. Fabian Suarez, of the MSP, said a caller posing as the grandson of the person who was called said he had been arrested in Florida and needed money.

The call was made to the grandfather who was instructed to go to a local Rite Aid and purchase four American Express Gold gift cards in the amount of $2,000.

The citizen was told their grandson was being detained at the Miami Dade Police Department and that the attorney handling his case was John Thomas. The number provided by the caller was for the Miami Dade Police Department (305) 383-6800, but the number for the attorney came back to Sydney, Australia.

“Fortunately a very alert clerk at the local Niles Rite Aid notified the caller of the scam,” Suarez said. “The citizen was able to contact his son and was told his grandson was fine and not in Florida.”