State police at Lehighton are cautioning area residents, especially those in Monroe County, of theft by deception incidents with elderly people as victims.

A recent incident at 6:50 p.m. Sunday on Mountain Road in Ross Township is the latest theft report.

Police said someone called a 78-year-old Saylorsburg woman and pretended to be her granddaughter. During the call, the impersonator said she was in a local jail and needed bail money.

The elderly woman told police she was instructed to contact her alleged granddaughter’s attorney so that she could be released. The woman said she was advised by the impersonating lawyer that a third party person would come to her residence to pick up the money.

Police did not say whether or not the elderly woman gave the third party person money, but said, “This type of scam has been frequent in Monroe County and typically targets the elderly.”