Grandparent scam tricks older adults with good intentions

The so-called “grandparent scam” is simple but effective because it relies on older adults who want to help their grandchildren, especially in times of crisis. But your good intentions could allow a thief to steal your hard-earned money.

These scammers can get information about you and your relatives from social media sites like Facebook, so don’t be fooled if a suspicious caller uses details from your life or that of a relative.

The scam works like this: an older person gets a phone call and the scammer will quickly say, “Hi grandma (or granddad), do you know who this is?” The unsuspecting grandparent may guess and use the name of a grandchild, which allows the scammer to immediately establish a fake relationship.

The “fake” grandchild will tell a convincing story, such as being arrested while overseas or on spring break, or their car broke down or they’re short on rent this month. Anything that sounds like a crisis in need of immediate financial rescue. At the same time, the scam artist will beg the grandparent to not tell the fake child’s parents for fear of punishment or embarrassment.

The scammer – or sometimes a second scammer posing as a police officer or lawyer – will ask for money to solve the unexpected financial problem. The scammer then asks be paid via Western Union, Money Pak’s “Green Dot” rechargeable cards or a MoneyGram, most of which don’t require identification to collect. Some of these thieves are now asking for gift cards from Apple iTunes, Amazon or other businesses as payment. Amounts range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

How to avoid scams

If you receive a suspicious phone call from someone claiming to be a relative, use these tactics to avoid being ripped off:

• Keep in touch regularly with your relatives so you’re not surprised to learn they are out of town or away at college, etc.
• Ask the caller questions only the grandchild would know the answers to, such as the name of a family pet or where their parents work.
• Ask the caller for their phone number and tell them you’ll call back. Chances are they won’t give you a number, but if they do, check out the grandchild’s story with other relatives.
• Although it may be possible to transfer money via legitimate services like Western Union or MoneyGram, if the caller wants to be paid by gift cards or similar methods, it’s a scam.
• Contact your relatives and alert them to this scam to help ensure other family members don’t become victims.
• Keep a list of phone numbers and resources you can turn to, including the local police, or your bank if money has been taken from your accounts.
• Report suspicious activity to local authorities so that they can take action to help others from becoming a victim. Don’t allow these thieves to steal your money. By taking a few simple steps beforehand, you can avoid becoming another victim to these scam artists.

About: The Ohio Department of Commerce serves as the state’s chief regulatory agency with a focus on consumer protection. The Department helps protect people, property, and financial assets throughout Ohio. The Department also has enforcement authority in several industries and monitors complaints to help ensure compliance with state laws and rules. For more information, visit here.

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