<p>Just wondered what happened to the parent who was trying to help kid write a paper about experience with scam attempts. Can’t find that thread anywhere, even though I searched. Thought it would be nice if whatever kid did and learned was shared so we can help our elders not become victims/prey. I know there are a LOT of scams out there and it gets tiring fending them off. Am very curious as to what was learned and would love to read a follow up post.</p>
<p>This thread was falling off 1st page of Parent Cafe. Would really like whatever was learned, as I work with a lot of seniors and a lot of us have aging parents. Thanks for any update.</p>
<p>I posted it: thread was removed because it didn’t meet forum rules. (I gather S could have posted himself, but I can’t post for him. Since I am not about to encourage him to start frequenting the Parents’ Forum…
)</p>
<p>I will let you know what he comes up with. (Just to correct a mistaken impression, this would not be a paper for a class, but an article for potential publication. He’s a journalism student.) My mother just today told me that she saw a similar story in the class notes section of the Yale Alumni Magazine, from a person who was scammed by a phony situation involving his grandson. He wanted others to be aware.</p>
<p>This particular scam seems to work by having a young-sounding person pretending to be the grandchild call the grandparent, swear them to secrecy, and say that they are in police custody but innocent. This is their only phone call, so they supposedly can’t be called back. (Of course, the GP can do so if they have the kid’s cell number! Mine didn’t. When she got it, she called him and discovered that it was indeed a scam. She then called me, and I was, thankfully, able to cancel the transactions and get her money back by acting <strong>immediately</strong>.) The GP is to talk to someone who can get them off without it showing on their record. If the hook is set, the GP calls this person, and things progress. Having gone through the whole process with my mother, I can tell you that these people are amazingly good. Note that the person actually purporting to be the grandchild gets off the phone as fast as possible, and is plausibly incommunicado thereafter. They have an answer for everything. The GP may well be suspicious, but make one or more payments on the CHANCE that the story is true and their grandkid is in peril. (The scammed Yalie feared his grandson was kidnapped in Mexico.) My mother thought that the people she was talking to were crooks, but that if she paid them off they would rescue the situation for S. Same thing with the other couple.</p>
<p>Since this episode, we have agreed to a family codeword. If any of us has to call or email for “rescue” in some situation, we will give the word and know the appeal is real. If not, it will certainly be a scam.</p>
<p>The other thing is that it would be a good idea for grandparents to have the grandkids’ cell numbers so that they can check on these things. realize that that wouldn’t necessarily work if the kid is actually abroad, the codeword should cover that.</p>
<p>So far, the situations I have heard of have all involved male grandchildren in their early/mid 20s. I would assume that if they have a young-sounding female confederate, they would target female grandchildren also…</p>
<p>I</p>
<p>That happened to my MIL regarding one of my nieces (her granddaughter). Very sad and so frustrating. The idea of a code word is excellent. </p>
<p>Rather than a code word – which could easily be confused or forgotten – how about schooling the grandparents to ask a question that the grandchild would know, but a scammer wouldn’t – like those online security questions. “What is you mother’s middle name? What’s the street address of your parent’s home? What’s your college major?” Something that both granny and grandkid would certainly know - but unlikely to be guessed by someone who doesn’t actually know the person. </p>
<p>Or else be sure your code word is something that has a lot of emotional resonance and will never be forgotten by an older relative with a failing memory.</p>
<p>Did your MIL lose money? It is indeed sad and frustrating. The people at WalMart–one of the places my mother was sent to wire money–later told her that an elderly woman had come in there and sent $10K. It could not be recovered. One positive thing I will say about WalMart: they tried to dissuade my mother from sending the money, and they apparently called her three times and left her messages to call them after she left the store. When she eventually reappeared–she had to go there in person to complete the process I started on the phone–they were ecstatic to see her. :D</p>
<p>My mother’s financial position is such that it would not have really hurt her to lose the sum in question–although of course there are always things one could do with a few thousand dollars! But I’m sure some of the people scammed <em>really</em> cannot afford to lose the money.</p>
<p>She did 
And evidently they called her a second time and she did go to Walmart who contacted the police because she wouldn’t listen to them. My MIL is one who couldn’t afford the money. She’s such a sweetheart and I think is embarassed that it happened and won’t talk to anyone about it. And of the money is gone with the wind. </p>
<p>I had an emeritus professor who worked down the hall from me and for some reason, was adamant that he should have a Yahoo account. I tried to explain to him that his college email was all he’d need. I always worried that he’d get scammed. </p>
<p>If you google scam on CC, there are several threads about similar scams and victims and some who were fortunate enough NOT to be victims. Good luck to your S on this article. Scary how they prey on the vulnerable and are oh so slick. </p>
<p>I know there are also scam emails.
A friend just received one which purported to be from another friend who was abroad and relayed a crazy story with the upshot being she needed money.
The funny thing was, apparently it would have been believable if it had really been sent by her, but they called her first to doublecheck. </p>
<p>Note that the scam only works if the grandparents try to hide the situation from the parents.If my parents thought my kid was in jail, I’d be the first person they would call no matter what.
We’ve had codewords for emergencies since the kids were little.Easy to remember since it’s an off the wall answer to a question along the lines of “what color is the sky?” “Avocado green” The weirder it is makes it easier to remember.</p>
<p>You’re right, gouf, but the scammer pretending to be the kid asks the GP to keep a secret for them. My mother feels strongly about keeping confidences with family members, so she was an easy target on that score.</p>
<p>The codeword seems more and more essential. </p>
<p>How do these scammers get enough info about their target to pull this off? They would at least have to know the age and name of the supposed grandchild, wouldn’t they.? I was very concerned when I looked my mom’s number up online (they had recently changed prefixes and for some reason it would not stick in my mind) and it was published that she was over 65. What is the reasoning for that?</p>
<p>Much info is public record.
You would be shocked.
Not to mention companies like Google scan emails for key words and sell that info to advertisers.</p>
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</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2014/01/13/4-questions-parents-should-ask-about-student-data-security”>http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/high-school-notes/2014/01/13/4-questions-parents-should-ask-about-student-data-security</a></p>
<p><a href=“Google Under Fire for Data-Mining Student Email Messages”>Google Under Fire for Data-Mining Student Email Messages;
<p>It is scary how much info is public record. It is true that if you search for your own name on the internet, you can pull up quite a bit for NO charge and more if you are willing to pay a bit ($4.99 or so). It is easy for scammers to twist the info for their devious purposes, as long as they have trusting, gullible people. The local banks put out posters for SRs, trying to keep their customers from being victimized. They also try to repeat these things at SR fairs and other venues.</p>
<p>My H just got one of these calls a few days ago. My d and I are away on a spring break vacation with a friends of hers. H is home. We were relaxing at breakfast and my cell phone rang and my H was absolutely frantic on the other end of the line inquiring where D was. He had just gotten a call saying his D was in a horrific accident and the hospital needed a credit card to secure the medical treatment. He asked “who is this?” and the call was then disconnected. This scam is really not funny and the authorities should do all they can to shut it down. Honestly, you could give someone a heart attack with this sort of call. My husband was very upset.</p>
<p>Knowing how things run in the real world helps stop scammers–hospitals don’t call for credit card numbers before initiating treatment (of course by then your brain is frozen thinking a loved one has been hurt). If you were thinking clearly (as your frantic husband ultimately did) you’d call someone who should have the facts.</p>
<p>I keep getting calls from “Microsoft” saying my computer needs some work–just let us look at it and we’ll “fix” it for you…So, when did microsoft start giving personal service? (or any service, but that’s a different topic…)</p>
<p>I seem to have a lot of friends in foreign countries getting robbed too. Fortunately I happen to know they’re safe at home. And they can’t be too bad off–they’re sending e-mails from a computer…And I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be the first person they would call to wire money.</p>
<p>I think beyond code words for family identification there isn’t much you can do except to try to keep abreast of the scams that are out there in hopes of recognizing it before it happens to you. Snopes is good for keeping up on them.</p>
<p>Few years back a scammer made an attempt for big bucks at an office through a very sophisticated e-mail ploy. You would have sworn it was legitimate. Fortunately a very cautious attitude and double checking with several sources brought it to light. Always on a weekend when things are closed and those “checks” aren’t available.</p>
<p>I also don’t think much info is needed to run the grand parent scam.
Caller: “Grandpa? I’m in jail”<br>
Call–ee: “I don’t have any grandkids…”
Caller: “click” and on to the next number.</p>
<p>Oh yes, I’ve received calls from Microsoft as well. Last I knew, they don’t work on Macs :)) </p>
<p>I feel bad for less savvy folks and for older folks as well. My MIL had no clue to even question it which is really sad.</p>
<p>We keep trying to get mom NOT to answer unless she recognizes the call as from being from one of her kids, as all the rest are just trying to get money. We’d try to get her landline disconnected, but I think she enjoys talking with whomever calls. Fortunately, she knows to call us if she has questions. SCARY how cruel these hoaxes are and how they really don’t have any conscience about what they are doing to their victim’s financial security.</p>