It's too bad NPR didn't air its story on the rise of grandparent scams sooner, or Polly Donaldson might not be out $6,000.

The Rapid City woman heard the story on the "Talk of the Nation" radio program Tuesday, and could relate to the victims - she'd been one just a week before.

On Nov. 18, Donaldson got a phone call from a man who said he was her grandson, who in real life is a graduate of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology and is currently studying for a graduate degree in New York.

"Grandma, I wonder if you can send me some money," Donaldson recalled the man telling her.

"I said, 'Oh, Carl, are you all right?'"

The man told her he wasn't hurt, but he needed $2,900 because he'd been in a car accident in Toronto.

Donaldson asked if he had called his father, and the man said he didn't want to tell his father.

The voice sounded so familiar and knew just what to say, Donaldson said. She trusted the story.

So she went to her bank, took out the cash and went to Family Thrift Center to wire the money. The worker at the grocery store mentioned that that was a lot of money to be sending, but Donaldson said she was sure it was necessary.

That night, she was so worried for her grandson's safety she couldn't sleep.

"I prayed that everything was all right," Donaldson said.

The next day, she heard from her "grandson" again. He said he needed her to wire him another $2,900, because for a while he thought he didn't need the first $2,900 after all, so he'd sent it back to her, but now, he did need it for a lawyer, so if she could just send him the money again, he'd pay her back.

"I sent it to him," she said. "I wasn't even suspicious at that time."

She didn't even wonder when the wire company called her to ask if she was sure she knew the person she was sending the money to.

It wasn't until the third day, Thursday, when the man called again to ask for still more money that she started doubting it was really Carl.

She told him to call her back in a few hours, but in the meantime, Donaldson called Carl's father in Minneapolis to check out the story.

"He was aghast," she said. He got Carl on the phone, who assured his grandmother he was in no trouble and didn't need her money.

"I was so worried about him, that I was just relieved when I found out that he was in New York and he was OK."

Donaldson's next call was to police. Pennington County sent a sheriff's deputy to her home, who sat at her dining room table and waited with her for the scammer to call back.

The first time he called, they let it ring to see if caller ID would log the number, but it just said "public phone," Donaldson said.

When it rang 10 minutes later, the deputy answered and said, "Who's calling?" The caller said, "George," and hung up. He called again a third time and hung up when the deputy answered.

"The sheriff looked at me and said, 'That's your man,'" Donaldson said.

The deputy said there is nothing the sheriff's department can do to get Donaldson's money back without being able to trace the number or know who picked up the money at the other end of the wire.

Attorney General Larry Long in September warned South Dakotans about the scam.

"The use of fear and emotion is the basis of this scam," Long said. "Grandparents are likely to respond quickly and without hesitation when it involves a grandchild. We are asking seniors to be cautious about wiring money to any individual and to ask tough questions to assure they are talking with their relatives."

His office's Consumer Protection Division advises seniors to not send money without asking several personal questions to determine if this call is a fraud or not. They say someone who receives such a call shouldn't be afraid to call a family member and ask if the grandchild has been in an accident. Also, ask the caller for a telephone number where you can call him or her back.

If you believe the call is fraudulent, contact a local law enforcement agency.

Those who have already sent money can contact the Consumer Protection Division at 800-300-1986 or by e-mail at consumerhelp@state.sd.us.

At first, she was embarrassed, but now, Donaldson wants to warn other people to double-check if a grandchild says they are in trouble and need money.

"At this time of year, when so many people are short of money, there are lots of these things going on," she said.