Beware: Scammers Are Targeting Grandparents
Beware: Scammers Are Targeting Grandparents
There's a new reason to be wary of phone calls from unfamiliar numbers in middle of the night: what the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is calling the "Grandparent Scam."
Hundreds of seniors -- from California to New Hampshire -- are filing complaints, reporting late-night phone calls from unfamiliar numbers. On the other end of the line is a younger-sounding voice claiming to be the recipient's favorite grandchild, relating a sad story about how he's in trouble in Canada and needs some cash immediately. The anti-fraud center in Canada says it has received about 350 complaints about the scam so far.
The usually-male caller says he's "your favorite grandchild," and lets his so-called grandparent fill in the name. The "grandchild" on the phone then says he's been involved in a car accident and needs thousands of dollars immediately to post bail or pay for the damages.
"The scam is just despicable because it preys on the emotions of seniors who want nothing more than to ensure the safety of their grandchildren," says Zach Vander Meeden, a spokesman for the BBB. One woman was scammed out of $15,000, according to the BBB, and there have been scattered reports of seniors who've sent thousands of dollars to various locations in Canada, including Wal-Mart stores.
To help protect yourself or the person you're caring for from this type of scam, the BBB recommends that you:
- Remain calm -- even if you receive an apparent emergency phone call -- until you've verified the identity of the caller.
- Check the story with other family members before sending money or taking any further action.
- View any request to wire money through a service like Western Union as a big red flag -- many scammers request that you wire money because it's very difficult to trace wired funds and they're rarely recoverable.
Photo by Flickr user Brymo, used under the Creative Commons Attribution License.
Connecticut BBB warns families about “grandparent scam†Connecticut Better Business Bureau President,Paulette Hotton Scarpetti,says the best thing for seniors to do when they receive these kinds of calls is to hang up and call their grandchild or his or her parents to see if the call is legitimate."These criminals are preying on the emotions of some of society’s most vulnerable people,the elderly. With a little work these thieves can find enough information on the Internet to make the calls seem legitimate,"says Scarpetti,"however the grandparent can also inadvertently provide enough information to actually help the con artist." ---------------------------------- joycelorenza <a href="http://www.drivenwide.com"rel="dofollow">Advisor</a>
Connecticut BBB warns families about “grandparent scam†Connecticut Better Business Bureau President,Paulette Hotton Scarpetti,says the best thing for seniors to do when they receive these kinds of calls is to hang up and call their grandchild or his or her parents to see if the call is legitimate."These criminals are preying on the emotions of some of society’s most vulnerable people,the elderly. With a little work these thieves can find enough information on the Internet to make the calls seem legitimate,"says Scarpetti,"however the grandparent can also inadvertently provide enough information to actually help the con artist." ---------------------------------- joycelorenza <a href="http://www.drivenwide.com"rel="dofollow">Advisor</a>
Create a "secret word" that only you and your grandchildren know. The caller must use the "secret word" to verify identity. If the caller doesn't know the "secret word" then you know it's a scam.