Grandparents Beware

 By Florida Bill

                             Bernie Madoff and Florida's Scott Rothstein were specialists in operating what is called a "Ponzi" scheme, through which they picked the pockets of investors to the tune of billions of dollars.  They took the money from the very rich, and from any man or woman with a nest egg for a rainy day and for their retirement.  But like other crooks, they got caught and currently are serving long terms in a federal prison.
                             There is another coterie of scam artists whose names are hopefully on the doors of jail cells which await their arrival. These lowlifes are picking pockets too, but these pockets belong to trusting grandparents who will dig deep into their savings to help their grandchildren who encounter problems.  These crooks occupy a strata in our ecosystem which is below frog droppings.
                              To detectives and the FBI, this underhanded theft has become known as the  "Grandparents Scam." Law enforcement officials across the country are warning seniors to beware of fraudsters impersonating grandchildren in distress and in dire need of cash.
                               These criminals are crafty in their trade. While there are a number of variations to the scam, it can often begin with a telephone call to the residence of oldsters who often have grandchildren in their late teens or early 20s. Florida is prime territory, with the chances of stumbling on a grandparent there better than almost anywhere.
                               In a typical conversation, a grandparent answers and the voice says, "Grandpa" or "Grandma" in a questioning tone.  And the grandparent, taken in already, inquires, "Is this Joey, Jimmy, Mary Deanne, etc" and the caller replies, "Yes, its me."  The conversation is now moving and the caller makes an emotional pitch for some money which will help him or her get through a predicament.  Kind grandparents are moved and trusting, and arrangements are made for sending the money. The "caller-grandchild" is grateful, and extends his love and thanks and bids farewell. Sometime later, perhaps the next day, Grandma or Grandpa learns that the whole episode was a con job.  Their loving grandchild knows nothing of the so called predicament, and Grandpa and Grandma are out a $1,000 or more.
                               Your scrivener was actually called by scammers in his home with a pitch by grandson, "William,"  for $1,500 to help him through an arrest for driving while not having his license, and he needed the $1,500 to make bond.  Luckily, your blogger, the Grandpa, asked his grandson to put the arresting officer on the phone so Grandpa could inquire about the arrest and the amount of the bond.  At that point the scam artist hung up.   We reported the scam to police and it probably landed in a thick file with other complaints.
                               These scam artists can be very convincing and better organized than the one who called us.  In one situation, a grandfather was contacted by his "granddaughter" three times and the trusting old guy wired money and even picked up the cost of some collect calls. He was convinced it was on the level because his granddaughter provided a number for the police and when Grandpa called a "police officer," the voice of authority responded and gave assurance that there was no need to be doubtful, and that his granddaughter was grateful for the funds wired.  Sometimes they have a friend standing by to get on the line and play the role of doctor, lawyer or police officer. So remember, these con men know their stuff.
                              Typically, the caller urges secrecy, seeking to stave off a quick call to someone to verify the story of woe told them.  They will even give instructions on where to go and how to wire the cash. If a doubting grandpa or grandma notes that the caller's voice sounds different, often the claim is that there has been an injury to the mouth or nose.
                          In February of 2016, federal authorities in Miami prosecuted a 33-year-old Canadian for running a scam which targeted elderly grandparents and made off with an estimated $800,000. Victims sent money orders which were often cashed in the Dominican Republic, Chile and other countries.  Authorities said the scammers were so convincing that in some cases victims sent more money than what was requested.
                               Some investigators have estimated that tens of millions of dollars or more have been taken in this scam, though an accurate figure is not known.  One Michigan couple is said to have lost their life savings of $33,000 to a man pretending to be their grandson who needed bond money and help to get out of a Canadian jail.  Investigators also believe that a great number of the victims have been reluctant to report the episode to police, embarrassed that they never detected the fraud and were made fools of.
                               Investigators say that the Grandparents scam has become increasingly common.  In 2009, the Federal Trade Commission recorded 743 incidents of scammers pretending to be a family member or a friend in need of money.  Since 2010, the FTC has recorded more than 40,000 incidents of fraud, and that figure does not include the unreported cases, estimated to be in the thousands.    
                              The second time we were called, I ended the charade quickly. In response to "Hi Grandpa, it's your grandson calling," I asked "which one?" The sound of the dial tone was immediate.
                             The moral of the story is that seniors and grandparents must be aware that these scammers are out there working to pick a pocket by telephone.