'Grandparent Scam' targeting more than just grandparents
Emergency phone calls are catching thousands of people off guard with desperate cries for help. The caller is counting on you to panic, then try to help someone you love get out of a frightening situation.
As I've warned many times before -- the so-called "Grandparent Scam" has been defrauding grandparents for years -- but the FBI says it's getting worse, because grandparents are no longer the only targets.
That point was made very clear by an urgent call I got this week.
The call was from my neighbor, Irene Hanson. No children. No grandchildren. Just an abundance of nieces and nephews.
"I didn't know what to do," said Hanson after finally calming down.
When her telephone rang Monday morning she thought it was her brother's son, Kevin.
"This is your nephew, Kevin," Hanson said, describing the call. "He was in jail. For a car accident in Spain."
According to the call, Kevin needed money to post bail. And it just so happens, Kevin currently lives in Spain. Next thing Hanson knew, a man claiming to be Kevin's attorney was on the phone with instructions: Go to Western Union and wire $1,800 to get Kevin out of jail.
The FBI reports scammers are scouring personal information posted on Facebook and other social network sites to expand the "Grandparent Scam" network to include any close relative. Hanson was a perfect target, because the scammers somehow knew she and her nephew are close.
"What is an aunt to do when one of their lambs is in trouble?" Hanson asked, admitting she'd been so worried about her nephew, she'd actually considered taking a taxi to the bank, and then to Western Union to wire the money.
As is typical with this deception, the scammers, posing as her nephew, warned Hanson not to say a word to anyone. "Please don't tell mom and dad" is a ploy that plays on the sympathy of concerned relatives who are led to believe any disclosure will cause their troubled loved one further harm.
But thanks to our neighborhood block watch, Hanson knew to call someone before agreeing to send money. She got me on the phone, explaining she had an emergency involving her nephew. My husband and I knew right away she'd been a target.
"And you guys stopped me from doing that," Hanson said.
There never was an accident. There was no arrest. Nephew Kevin is safe, and so is Hanson's money. Unfortunately, thousands of family members in our state aren't so lucky.
If you have a friend, relative or neighbor who gets unsolicited calls and email, cares deeply about a family member they'd want to help, and would probably not say anything about sending money, they may have already been hit. Take some time to have a conversation and encourage them to call someone they trust before ever giving any money based on a phone call, an email or snail mail. Tell them people in our state are being tricked out of tens of thousands of dollars that they will never get back. And in most cases, the scammers are never caught.
Also remember that more and more scams are based on information easily obtained on Facebook and other social network sites, because people are so free with personal information. Photos with names and relationships, details about trips or family gatherings, seemingly innocent information you freely post about what you're doing and who you're doing it with is a goldmine for scammers who can use that information to pose as you, and defraud
As I've warned many times before -- the so-called "Grandparent Scam" has been defrauding grandparents for years -- but the FBI says it's getting worse, because grandparents are no longer the only targets.
That point was made very clear by an urgent call I got this week.
The call was from my neighbor, Irene Hanson. No children. No grandchildren. Just an abundance of nieces and nephews.
"I didn't know what to do," said Hanson after finally calming down.
When her telephone rang Monday morning she thought it was her brother's son, Kevin.
"This is your nephew, Kevin," Hanson said, describing the call. "He was in jail. For a car accident in Spain."
According to the call, Kevin needed money to post bail. And it just so happens, Kevin currently lives in Spain. Next thing Hanson knew, a man claiming to be Kevin's attorney was on the phone with instructions: Go to Western Union and wire $1,800 to get Kevin out of jail.
The FBI reports scammers are scouring personal information posted on Facebook and other social network sites to expand the "Grandparent Scam" network to include any close relative. Hanson was a perfect target, because the scammers somehow knew she and her nephew are close.
"What is an aunt to do when one of their lambs is in trouble?" Hanson asked, admitting she'd been so worried about her nephew, she'd actually considered taking a taxi to the bank, and then to Western Union to wire the money.
As is typical with this deception, the scammers, posing as her nephew, warned Hanson not to say a word to anyone. "Please don't tell mom and dad" is a ploy that plays on the sympathy of concerned relatives who are led to believe any disclosure will cause their troubled loved one further harm.
But thanks to our neighborhood block watch, Hanson knew to call someone before agreeing to send money. She got me on the phone, explaining she had an emergency involving her nephew. My husband and I knew right away she'd been a target.
"And you guys stopped me from doing that," Hanson said.
There never was an accident. There was no arrest. Nephew Kevin is safe, and so is Hanson's money. Unfortunately, thousands of family members in our state aren't so lucky.
If you have a friend, relative or neighbor who gets unsolicited calls and email, cares deeply about a family member they'd want to help, and would probably not say anything about sending money, they may have already been hit. Take some time to have a conversation and encourage them to call someone they trust before ever giving any money based on a phone call, an email or snail mail. Tell them people in our state are being tricked out of tens of thousands of dollars that they will never get back. And in most cases, the scammers are never caught.
Also remember that more and more scams are based on information easily obtained on Facebook and other social network sites, because people are so free with personal information. Photos with names and relationships, details about trips or family gatherings, seemingly innocent information you freely post about what you're doing and who you're doing it with is a goldmine for scammers who can use that information to pose as you, and defraud
