Police Warn Iowa Residents About 'Grandparents' Phone Scam

Another cell phone scam is going around the area, and this one is targeting senior citizens. Cedar Rapids and Marion police officials are calling it a 'Grandparents' scam, according to CBS2.

The scam happens when the caller pretends to be the person's grandchild. They say they've just been in an accident that injured someone else. This person might say that they are in 'jail' and then put their 'attorney' on the phone with the grandparent. That person then asks for large amounts of money to be used as 'bail.' CBS2 also reports that they say that there is a gag order in place so they can't talk about it with anyone else but the grandparent.

Get our free mobile app

CBS2 says that the caller will often times offer to send a 'courier' over to the person's residence to pick up money. Or they may ask to have the money sent another way. The bottom line is that the entire situation is false. Not real. Police officials say that if you happen to get a phone call like this, hang up right away. Simply call your grandson or granddaughter, or your son or daughter to make sure things are O.K.

Police say that a simple phone call to loved ones can solve the whole situation. But as you might imagine, some unsuspecting grandparents might not realize its a scam, and want to help out. Police say that if you get a scam call like this, to also call local law enforcement. And as always, police remind all residents to never give out personal or financial information over the phone.

Iowa's Island City

There is something unique about every town, but there is really something special about Sabula, IA. Known as "Iowa's Island City," Sabula is the only town in the state of Iowa that is entirely on an island. While not a lot of people have been to, or live in Sabula, it is a quaint little town nestled right on the Mississippi River.

Before we show you around "Iowa's Island City," let me give you the history of Sabula. Sabula was established in 1835, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis. Isaac Dorman and a man named Hinkley crossed the river from the Illinois side on a log and decided to settle on what is now Sabula. An Ohio couple, James and Margaret Woods would settle on Sabula about a year later in April of 1836. Their son, Dr. E. A. Woods would purchase Hinkley's interest in the claim. Charles Swan and W. H. Brown would soon purchase Dorman's interest. The three men, Woods, Swan and Brown later had the land plotted in 1837.

The idea behind plotting the land was because there was no town between Lyons (north Clinton) and Bellevue. The plot of the new town was recorded in Dubuque as this area was part of Dubuque county at the time, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

According to Island City Harbor's website, Sabula went through a few names before landing on the official town name. In 1837, Sabula was first called Carrollport. Residents of the town didn't like the name because there was a man's name who was Carroll who had a bad reputation. The town changed its name to Charleston, after early settler Charles Swan. The only issue was that there was already a town called Charleston in Iowa which caused much confusion.

In 1846 the settler’s decided to find a name. Island City Harbor's website says that because of it’s sandy soil, William Hubble suggested the town be called "Sabulum" which is Latin for sand. A party was being held around the time the town name was being discussed, when a woman, supposed to be Miss Harriet Hudson, suggested the town be called Sabula as it was easier to pronounce and sounded more elegant, according History of Jackson County, Iowa, Volume 1 by James Whitcomb Ellis.

Sabula did not actually become an island until 1939. According to Wikipedia, in the 1930's, the Army Corps of Engineers constructed the lock and dam system. In 1939, Lock and Dam No. 13 between Clinton, IA and Fulton, IL was built which caused the bottomlands west of the town permanently flooded. With the Mississippi River east of the town, this created the "Island City." A levee was built around Sabula in 1957 for protection, according to Island City Harbor's website. This also allowed for the south sand pit to be turned into a boat harbor.

I would like to thank my mom Beth, her fiancé Matt, my brother Nolan and my wife Ellie for accompanying me to Sabula. We always have a blast on our trips and this one was no exception.

It's now time to introduce you to Sabula, Iowa, Iowa's Island City.