topic Re: Grandson Scam in Community Chat

Grandson Scam

fortune — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:51:50 GMT

Today, I got a call from my "grandson." The problem is--I don't have a grandson. I realized quickly that it was a scam and hung up really fast. If the scam is allowed to unfold, the grandson pretends that he really is a relative and asks that you send him money for all different kinds of reasons--jail, theft of wallet, etc., etc. Thousands of older folks have been taken in by this scam, so watch out!!!

I don't have any grand children, but I do have a granddog! His name is Jasper and here he is!!!

Re: Grandson Scam

pommom — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:53:12 GMT

Jasper is one fine handsome pooch!!!

Re: Grandson Scam

EastCoastGal — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 21:59:28 GMT

l have heard of this phone scam before ...but for those who haven't, thank you for posting this!

Jasper is such a cutie!!

Re: Grandson Scam

Love my grandkids — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:09:21 GMT

Yep, this one has been making the rounds for a few years. Sadly, some people actually fall for it.

Re: Grandson Scam

Plaid Pants2 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:19:09 GMT

See, for me, I would have some fun with them.

"Oh, this is my grandson?"

"Yes, it is grandma. It's me, Timmy."

"Well, Timmy, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure grandma."

"Well, how can you be my grandson, when I never had any children?"

Uh......

They hang up.

*lol*

Re: Grandson Scam

StraytoStay — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:19:55 GMT

My mom had this happen, but didn't think my son sounded like him so she asked what was my name and they didn't know then hung up on her. They claimed to be stuck in Canada and didn't want to get in trouble so they called her instead.

There was a guy on our local news that fell for this scam, too. He had warning signs but still sent money anyway.

Re: Grandson Scam

ValuSkr — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:23:01 GMT

Yes, the grandson scam is an oldie but goodie!

Re: Grandson Scam

Bri36 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:25:53 GMT

My dad is 86. He's very savvy about scams. I can see how some people can do things they wouldn't normally do out of sheer concern for their family. It breaks my heart people take advantage of older people

Re: Grandson Scam

Citrine1 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:35:16 GMT

I, too, have heard of this scam, but are there really people out there who don't know who their grandchildren are???

Re: Grandson Scam

Foolywooly11 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:44:08 GMT

Your granddog is a real cutie!!!!!

Re: Grandson Scam

Nightowlz — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 22:50:34 GMT

This happened to my MIL. The sad thing is it happened right after one of her grandsons died so she knew it was not him. She said it did sound like him. I just think she wanted it to be him. I'm glad she did not fall for it.

Re: Grandson Scam

Pandalady — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 23:09:45 GMT

@fortune Jasper is a cutie patootie and I am sure grandma lovingly spoils him rotten. My mom was a Mimi and my dad was a Paw Paw to a granddog dachshund named Heidi. She had them wrapped around all four paws!

Re: Grandson Scam

QueenDanceALot — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 23:11:53 GMT

@fortune wrote:
Today, I got a call from my "grandson." The problem is--I don't have a grandson. I realized quickly that it was a scam and hung up really fast. If the scam is allowed to unfold, the grandson pretends that he really is a relative and asks that you send him money for all different kinds of reasons--jail, theft of wallet, etc., etc. Thousands of older folks have been taken in by this scam, so watch out!!!

I don't have any grand children, but I do have a granddog! His name is Jasper and here he is!!!

@fortune

I don't have a grandson either, but if Jasper there called me I'd send him a huge box of biscuits! What a cutie!!!

Re: Grandson Scam

akaburtonfan — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 23:33:51 GMT

Several years ago my mother almost got taken for $4500 from this scam -- the only difference was it was supposed to be her granddaughter who was supposed to be in jail for drunk driving.

Normally she wouldn't have fallen for it but I think she panicked.

Thankfully she was no longer driving and needed me to take her town to get the cards they told her to put the money on. As soon as I heard the story I talked with my niece and then I explained that it was a scam. My poor mom felt so bad that she almost lost that much money.

Re: Grandson Scam

bowlicious — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 23:44:55 GMT

My brother in law got a phone call that his son in law was in trouble. Thankfully when they went to walmart to send money the lady behind the counter told them it was probably a scam. My sister called their sil and he was at work and doing fine. So thankful for the walmart employee.

Re: Grandson Scam

Perkup — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:09:58 GMT

We had this call about three years ago - husband's grandson was "in jail in Atlanta due to an accident he was being blamed for". Of course we were to send money to his bail bondsman. It didn't work on DH or on me, so that ended that. I do hate that people tend to prey on older people - many of them don't have constant contact with grandchildren, so they are easily fooled.

Now if Jasper has any children or grands, I'd llike to get my hands on one of them!!

Re: Grandson Scam

Tyak — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 00:40:14 GMT

@fortune wrote:
Today, I got a call from my "grandson." The problem is--I don't have a grandson. I realized quickly that it was a scam and hung up really fast. If the scam is allowed to unfold, the grandson pretends that he really is a relative and asks that you send him money for all different kinds of reasons--jail, theft of wallet, etc., etc. Thousands of older folks have been taken in by this scam, so watch out!!!

I don't have any grand children, but I do have a granddog! His name is Jasper and here he is!!!

This particular scam has been around for at least 10 years.

Re: Grandson Scam

WenGirl42 — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 01:23:17 GMT

@Nightowlz wrote:
This happened to my MIL. The sad thing is it happened right after one of her grandsons died so she knew it was not him. She said it did sound like him. I just think she wanted it to be him. I'm glad she did not fall for it.

@Nightowlz That breaks my heart. I'm glad she didn't fall for it too.

Re: Grandson Scam

Carmie — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 01:58:34 GMT

Recently, this happened to our friends son. He and his First wife are divorced, so his daughter doesn't live with him. He has money and he lives a lavish public life... fancy cars, boats, nice house, etc.

he received a call on his cell from kidnappers who said they had his daughter. In the background he heard a girl crying that sounded like his daughter. They wanted money. His first though was that it was a scam, but then he thought maybe it wasn't.

He was hysterical and crying. His new wife called the police from her cell. It turned out to be a scam, thank goodness.

It had to be someone who knew him or did research on him. This guy is in his early 40's and not an older man. He never sent any money, but he was scared out of his mind and was not thinking right.

Be careful, this can happen to anyone.

Re: Grandson Scam

Kachina624 — Thu, 03 Aug 2017 02:10:16 GMT

@fortune You could have had a lot of fun with that call.