BBB warns senior citizens that the “Grandparent Scam” is back
Well-meaning senior citizens who think they are helping a grandchild in distress are becoming victims of another wave of the so-called “Grandparent Scam,” warns Better Business Bureau. So far, the scam has targeted grandparents across the United States and Canada and stolen as much as $19,000 from one victim alone.
“The grandparent scam preys on the love of a grandparent for their grandchildren and has proven to be an extremely lucrative con for scammers,” said Nancy B. Cahalen, President and CEO of the BBB of Central New England. “Fortunately, this is an easy scam to avoid as long as you don’t let your emotions get the best of you.”
Typically, the grandparent receives a frantic phone call from someone whome they are led to beliece is their grandchild. A scammer, posing as their grandchild, explains that he or she has gotten into trouble—often in Canada—and needs their help. The “grandchild” might claim he or she caused a car accident or was arrested for drug possession. With the new wave of calls, victims are also contacted by someone claiming to be a police officer or lawyer representing the grandchild in court.
The “grandchild” pleads to the grandparents to not tell his or her parents and asks that they wire thousands of dollars for reasons including posting bail, repairing the grandchild’s car, covering lawyer’s fees or even paying hospital bills for a person the grandchild injured in a car accident.
A local Worcester resident recently received one of these scam calls. First a young person’s voice said “Grandpa?”, then someone else came on the line, identifying himself as a police officer. He told the Worcester man that he was holding his grandson in prison in Canada and that he had to send $1920 in cash to release him—the cost of replacing a telephone pole that the grandchild had supposedly struck in a car accident. He was instructed to wire the money via Western Union to an address in Quebec. The consumer did not send the money. Instead he called his son, who then verified that his grandson, was free and well and at work in New Hampshire.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild in distress, BBB advises that you don’t disclose any information before you have confirmed it really is your grandchild. If a caller says “It’s me, grandma!” don’t respond with a name but instead let the caller explain who he or she is. One easy way to confirm their identity is to ask a simple question that your grandchild would know such as what school he or she goes to or their middle name.
If you have fallen victim to the scam, BBB recommends that you report the incident immediately to local police and the Attorneys General office. If there is a request to wire money to Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Call Centre has established the PhoneBusters hotline and Web site to report such fraud. Reports can be filed easily online through the PhoneBusters site at: www.phonebusters.com, or by phone, toll free at, 1-888-495-8501.