Portland woman avoids ‘grandparent scam’
Frantic calls from grandchildren in trouble arrive late at night; they need help immediately and plead for money. Worried grandparents send wire transfers as instructed — often thousands of dollars. However, the grandchildren are safe, the callers are scammers — and the money is gone.
The “Grandparent Scam” has been around for years and is just one variation of the imposter scams that dupe tens of thousands of consumers every year. Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington and the Portland Police Bureau‘s White Collar Crimes Unit are teaming up to offer tips on avoiding these threats:
Be skeptical. Ask questions that only family members would know—like pet names or favorite foods—without revealing too much personal information. Verify information. Check with family members to confirm the locations of grandchildren. Don’t send money. Never wire money out of the country to persons unknown. Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites. Know where to turn. Victims should expediently report incidents to local law enforcement agencies and the state Attorney General’s Office.
Wanda Russell of Portland almost fell for this classic “Grandparent Scam”: She received a call from a person claiming to be her grandson; he told her that he had been in a fight and sounded “funny” due to a broken nose. The caller claimed that he was being illegally held in a Mexican jail and needed help posting bail, asking Russell to wire him money.
“He sounded pretty convincing, but I remembered reading about this scam, so I kept asking questions,” Russell said. Once the “grandson” realized that his target was doubtful, he immediately ended the call.
“I see at least one report a month where an elderly person loses money — that’s not recoverable — to this scam,” says Sergeant Vic Dody with the White Collar Crimes Unit, “Russell was one of the lucky ones.”
Loved ones who legitimately need help will never get angry when asked questions to verify identities. For information on the latest scams, visit BBB’s News & Events page.
