It always starts with a phone call and usually ends with someone getting ripped off.

The phone calls vary in form — an accusation of non-payment of taxes, an overseas lottery won, a child or grandchild in an accident or incarcerated — but the scams almost always follow the same pattern: give personal information out or give the scammers money up front, and they often target the elderly.

One Pantego resident wasn’t about to be taken in by scammers, however, and urged other Beaufort County residents to be aware and wary of people calling out of the blue. Christine Langley said she fielded a phone call Tuesday, in which she was told she’d been awarded federal grant money, but would have to release some information in order to get it.

“They wanted to know my bank account number, birthdate, your address and your Social Security number,” Langley said.

But Langley has been paying attention to news reports about the many scams out there and asked the man a few questions herself.

“I asked for identification. He said, ‘Wait a minute, ma’am,’ and rattled off a bunch of numbers that didn’t make sense,” Langley said. “In the news, it tells you all the time when someone calls you like that and they can’t answer questions — I’m too old to fall for that. Ain’t no way in the world the government has $700,000 for me.”

But many people do fall for it. It happens all the time, according to Washington Police Department Capt. William Chrismon.

“I hate it. We hate it. We deal with older people every week that get taken advantage of,” Chrismon said. “It breaks our heart. You’ve got good, educated, smart people who get duped by these people, because they’re really good (at scamming).”

There is little recourse for victims or law enforcement, as the scams are almost guaranteed to originate overseas — American law enforcement has no jurisdiction and don’t have the resources or ability to prosecute scammers, Chrismon said.

Chrismon said everyone should question those callers and never give out personal information over the phone.

“If they say they’re an insurance company, look your insurance company’s number up in the phone book and call them and ask them directly,” Chrismon said. “If you get a check in the mail, and then get a call asking you to forward it, don’t do it. The check is going to come back bad, and the bank is going to want that money back from you.”

Chrismon advised residents to consult law enforcement if they have any questions about a caller soliciting money or personal information.

“Don’t give anybody information; don’t pay anybody over the phone. Make sure it’s legitimate,” he said.

That’s exactly how Langley viewed it, and wanted to share her experience as a warning to others.

“You give them your bank account number, you might as well go to the bank and get the money out and give it to them,” Langley said. “I’d hate for them to get caught up in the middle of that.”