Leelanau County Sheriff's Office deputies recovered nearly $10,000 for an elderly scam victim in Bingham Township.

Detectives met with the 85-year-old woman on May 18 after she reported receiving a phone call from her granddaughter who said she'd been in a car accident in Florida and needed money to help with attorney fees. The victim sent $500 cash through FedEx to an addresss in Miramar, Florida. The money was claimed by someone on May 17. The victim then received another call from a man who said a judge in Florida now needed another $9,800 in her granddaughter's case. The victim sent the money, but then became suspicious she was being scammed.

Detectives contacted FedEx and were able to track down the money in a delivery person's possession before it could be claimed by a recipient. The delivery was canceled and the $9,800 returned to the victim.

The Leelanau County Sheriff's Office reminds residents that scammers frequently target elderly citizens for these types of crimes. "We urge any resident with elderly family to have a conversation with their family members (about) these types of scams and to always verify the facts before sending any unknown person money," the Sheriff's Office said in a statement.