Legal Speak
Fraud Alert: Are You Really My Grandchild?
Be careful when it comes to the "grandparent scam."
The past few months we have seen a dramatic increase in what has been referred to as the “Emergency Scam” or the “Grandparent Scam.” Seniors—for the most part—are contacted, usually late at night, via telephone. Typically the caller starts the conversation by saying in a panicked tone of voice, “It’s Me.” The caller waits for the person who answered the phone to identify someone he or she knows, who is often a grandchild. The caller pretends to be the person who the “grandparent” identifies and proceeds to claim that they need money for an emergency situation. Reasons range from bail money, emergency medical care, car trouble or accident. The caller desperately claims that he or she needs the money wired immediately, and begs their “…
Michael Dwells
10:08 pm on Tuesday, March 6, 2012
thanks for sharing this information. I agree there's a lot of different scams out there and we can never be too careful. So if you're not comfortable about a phone call, hang up. That's the best thing to do. I've read of this similar advice posted at http://www.callercenter.com. And as the police always say, be cautious. Vigilance keeps the scammers at bay. more ›