Scam alert . . this just happened to my family member!

vikesfanmb
vikesfanmb Posts: 291 Member
edited October 21 in Chit-Chat
Just a scam alert . . . yesterday, I received a frantic phone call from my birth mother in Minnesota. She said that someone claiming to be my son (her grandson) called her claiming to have been in an accident in a foreign country and he needed cash wired ASAP. He claimed to be hurt . . broken bones, etc. She said she was suspicious (and rightly so!) and told the caller that she didn't have any cash to wire and that he would have to contact his dad or I for help. At that point, the caller hung up.

It's really disturbing how these scams prey on the elderly and potentially vulnerable. My birth mother is not in good health and she was really shook up by this. I know I've heard of such scams before but never had it hit this close to home. She was one of the lucky ones in that she was "with it" enough to question and eventually refuse the caller any cash.

So just be wary, ask lots of questions . . and please share this with your other family members, especially elderly relatives.

Replies

  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    Bump, I've heard about this. It's so upsetting how low people will stoop for money. Thank you for the warning!
  • My1985Freckles
    My1985Freckles Posts: 1,039 Member
    That's crazy!
  • danibabs
    danibabs Posts: 298 Member
    Did you hear about the guy some scammer tried it on who was a retired private investigator? He kept the caller on the line, recorded the whole conversation, and sent it to the police!
  • tataliciousd89
    tataliciousd89 Posts: 465
    This has been happening everywhere. Just dont ever send anybody money unless you absolutely know who they are.
  • Grokette
    Grokette Posts: 3,330 Member
    That is so sad. Humans really make me sick as they prey on others.
  • iamastarforever
    iamastarforever Posts: 2
    I've recieved emails saying the same thing, but not heard of anyone recieving phone calls.
  • vikesfanmb
    vikesfanmb Posts: 291 Member
    Did you hear about the guy some scammer tried it on who was a retired private investigator? He kept the caller on the line, recorded the whole conversation, and sent it to the police!

    WOW!! That is cool. I hope they can crack down on these scammers . . but I'm afraid a lot of the phone calls originate from foreign countries and are virtually untraceable.
  • sugarbeans
    sugarbeans Posts: 676 Member
    That's horrible!! Thanks for sharing it is so angry, frustrating and sad that this continues to happen. I am glad your mother figured it out.
  • Mydnyte_Ryder
    Mydnyte_Ryder Posts: 248 Member
    Just a scam alert . . . yesterday, I received a frantic phone call from my birth mother in Minnesota. She said that someone claiming to be my son (her grandson) called her claiming to have been in an accident in a foreign country and he needed cash wired ASAP. He claimed to be hurt . . broken bones, etc. She said she was suspicious (and rightly so!) and told the caller that she didn't have any cash to wire and that he would have to contact his dad or I for help. At that point, the caller hung up.

    It's really disturbing how these scams prey on the elderly and potentially vulnerable. My birth mother is not in good health and she was really shook up by this. I know I've heard of such scams before but never had it hit this close to home. She was one of the lucky ones in that she was "with it" enough to question and eventually refuse the caller any cash.

    So just be wary, ask lots of questions . . and please share this with your other family members, especially elderly relatives.

    Sadly, I have seen this happen too. Most requests come through (faked) requesting wiring via Western Union, as they may have more relaxed security\checks around their cashing and receiving processes.
  • emmalene1984
    emmalene1984 Posts: 137 Member
    it also happens over facebook etc, it happened to me 6months ago, a only friend from school who i haven't spoken to in years started instant messaging me saying she had been mugged at gun point abroad and only had her passport and needed the cash to get a flight home, fortunately i was sensible enough to question what was going on and to suggest she go to the embassy etc, offered to call her parents or boyfriend to notify them when 'she' kept pushing me for an answer and cash, eventually she realised she wasn't going to get cash from me without proof it was her and why on earth she was asking me for money and not someone she knew better so she stopped replying to my messages and logged off. i in turn notified the girl the scammer was claiming to be and it turned out she wasn't abroad, but at work and at home and had had her account hacked. so be careful everyone, make sure you get proof the people asking for money are who they say they are! x
  • Mydnyte_Ryder
    Mydnyte_Ryder Posts: 248 Member
    I also have a PDF saved from a year or two ago from the attorney general describing the practice, and what to do if you or someone you know is impacted. Let me know if you would like it.
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Oh my that's just awful. Glad your mum managed to realise what was happening xxx
  • christine24t
    christine24t Posts: 6,063 Member
    I'm glad she didn't give money! I've read about this on travel.gov Sad thing.
  • EmCarroll1990
    EmCarroll1990 Posts: 2,832 Member
    There's also a puppy adoption scam. I know it sounds insanely stupid that people would fall for it, but they do. Do not buy a puppy when the person says they'll ship it to you and all you need to do is pay the shipping company.
  • Cr8tive_Ingenuity
    Cr8tive_Ingenuity Posts: 181
    I work for a large cell phone company here in the US. Im in sales over the phone and everyday we get fraud calling in with peoples ssn date of birth, everything. i laugh at them when they tell me there date of birth and i ask how old they are and they have to think about it. its horrible the fraud out there..you would be surprised how much fraud really goes on..thats why im a lifelock subscriber.

    if it was up to me i would have these people slaughtered..i know sounds kind of draconian but its so widespread..most of the fraud comes from large cities, ny, miami etc. then you have the fraud like people who get divorced and the ex has the spouses info and they call in and try to get service so they can ruin the other persons credit when they dont pay
  • dezedeze
    dezedeze Posts: 96 Member
    Yes...they got $13000 out of my husband's grandmother that way. She's a smart lady too...so infuriating. Not only was it a horrible thing to lose the money, but there was a lot of emotional torment for her thinking that my husband is in trouble. If I could just meet those *kitten* in a dark alley...
  • Cr8tive_Ingenuity
    Cr8tive_Ingenuity Posts: 181
    oh and if someone calls you and says they are from xyz company that you do business with and they ask to verify the last four of your ssn hang up..no company will ever do an outbound call and ask you to verify and information like that. EVER
  • jarae876
    jarae876 Posts: 39 Member
    This happened to my Great Aunt about three or so years ago. Foolishly the caller was saying that they were the grandson of the son that lived next door to her. The grandson was there in the living room with her at the time of the phone call. She called the police and reported it but of course they couldn't do much other then get it out on the local media not to fall for the scam
  • Alisha_countrymama
    Alisha_countrymama Posts: 821 Member
    This same thing happened to my grandmother except they didn't say they were in a foreign country...wow people are ballsy!
  • bjshields
    bjshields Posts: 677 Member
    That happened via email, somebody claiming to be my neighbor, Galen. It helped a lot that I just saw Galen that morning, and the email claimed he was in the UK!! Seriously, if these people used their brains for good, they could cure the world's ills.
  • gentlebreeze2
    gentlebreeze2 Posts: 450 Member
    It happened to my mom, while my brother was out of town. Caller claimed to be her grandson. Luckily she didn't have transportation, so she couldn't send anything... but she believed he was in trouble. She sat on the info for a couple months, then finally mentioned it at a family dinner including my brother and her grandson. The whole family apparently jumped all over my mom for believing it (even though the grandson has a history of getting into trouble). No compassion... I was miffed.
  • mizzdivat
    mizzdivat Posts: 67 Member
    Thanks for sharing this. I get the scam emails all the time and just delete them. You can't trust anyone these days. Sadly, our economy is so bad that people are more desperate and getting more bolder in terms of what they will do for money.
  • JediMaster_intraining
    JediMaster_intraining Posts: 903 Member
    How horrible people are....my grandpa had to calm down his friend (who is also up there in age) because someone said if she didn't send them money ($2,000) they would put her in jail for breaking the law on something. I'm so glad my grandpa is smart enough to know better and help his other friends who are vulnerable! It's NOT fun to pick on older people because some of them are emotionally and physically fragile already. :grumble:
  • camy_chick
    camy_chick Posts: 277 Member
    awhile back, this kinda thing happened to a friend on mine on facebook........her account was hacked, and the person(s) that hacked her acct started messaging ALL her friends that were online. saying they were over seas and got robbed and NEEDED money to get back home.............funny thing is i KNEW my friend was with her family skiing. and SHE knows that i am usually broke off my butt, so she wouldn't ask me for $. and after the hacker(s) figured out i wasn't going to send "her" money, i got defriended! took my friend OVER A MONTH to get her account figured back out and back in her control!
  • Noki1024
    Noki1024 Posts: 302
    Omg that's insane! People are stupid and crazy! What nerve.
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