Megyn Kelly reveals how scammers targeted her family, demanding thousands of dollars

Journalist Megyn Kelly has revealed the moment her family was forced to pay out almost $17,000 in an elaborate scam that is becoming increasingly common.

In the context of ‘Fraud Week’ op The Megyn Kelly Show, Kelly recalled the scheme targeting her elderly mother-in-law, Jackie.

On Friday’s episode, both Megyn and her husband Doug said they were almost duped by the sophisticated scam.

Kelly shared the full story and sent a chilling warning to her audience: “There are words of caution in this story for everyone… We decided to tell you the story – even though we knew you might make a little fun of us – because we want to help others and we have learned a lot ourselves.’

It started on January 22, 2021, during the COVID-19 epidemic. Megyn and her family were getting ready to travel for a wedding, and Doug received a disturbing call from his 84-year-old mother, Jackie, in Philadelphia.

As part of “Fraud Week” on The Megyn Kelly Show, Kelly recalled the scheme that targeted her elderly mother-in-law, Jackie. On Friday’s episode, both Megyn and her husband Doug said they were almost duped by the sophisticated scam.

Jackie had been contacted by a woman she believed was Doug’s sister, Diane. The woman claimed she and her partner Brad were jailed after a car accident on Cape Cod.

According to Diane, she was in dire need of bail money and Jackie was given a number to contact a court-appointed attorney.

Jackie was convinced by the sobbing voice and called the number. She was then told bail had been set at $17,000.

Doug and Megyn were then tied up in the chaos. They tried to verify the lawyer’s story but were even told to use cryptocurrency for bail due to COVID protocols.

But soon alarms started ringing in their heads and they sought the help of a friend on Cape Cod, Steve, to deliver the money.

However, Steve noticed something strange: the supposed lawyer mispronounced Barnstable, the town where the events allegedly took place.

Steve became suspicious, which led him to Diane and Brad’s house, where he found them safe at home.

“Diane and Brad are safe, no one handed over any money and Steve saved the day,” Megyn said.

After realizing they were almost set up, Megyn and Doug decided to turn the tables on the fraudster, trying to have “some fun” with him and catch him in a lie.

The scammer never admitted to the scam and Megyn said she never explicitly called him about it, but he eventually hung up and never contacted her again.

Megyn emphasized the importance of sharing these experiences to prevent others from becoming victims.

Megyn emphasized the importance of sharing these experiences to prevent others from becoming victims (Douglas Brunt, left, and Megan Kelly)

‘What if this happened to your mother or to you? Now you will know. If we hadn’t told the story, you might not know. Maybe you would be fooled. Don’t know. It can happen. Trust me,” she said.

She emphasized that even the most intelligent and confident individuals can be deceived, and urged her audience to remain vigilant and somewhat skeptical.

Megyn also urged her audience to stay informed and share your experiences as awareness is the best defense.

‘Unfortunately, there are fraudsters who work hard every day to steal your money or something valuable, and most of these never see the light of day. They just happen in private because people are too ashamed to talk about them. They are humiliated, and I understand that. But there is no reason to be humiliated.”

“If you get ripped off by one of these losers – or almost ripped off in our case – what does that say about you? It says you believe in human nature. You believe in others. You probably have a good heart. You are probably a trusting soul. Those aren’t bad things. But a somewhat jaded, trusting soul? I think that’s what we’re going for.’

“That’s why we shared, and that’s why we hope everyone listens and talks about these things more and more. We can help each other.’