SCARS™ Insight: Coronavirus Grandparent Scams
Scammers In India, Africa, And Asia Have Long Exploited The Love That Grandparents Have For Their Grandchildren, But Now They Are Turning That Into Money The Crisis Emergency Scams!
The typical Grandparent Scam involves someone calling, emailing, texting or messaging an elderly person claiming that they are a relative and are in an emergency. All they need is some of the victim’s money and it will all be fine!
Accidents, arrests, or travel emergencies are the typical storylines they try to use to scam grandparents.
It works because grandparents care deeply but are usually not connected with the grandchild on a daily basis – the impersonation does not have to be as perfect with a grandparent as it would have to be with a parent or sibling.
Now Scammers Are Using The Very Real Emergency That We Are All Facing All Around Us To Revisit This Scam:
“Grandma: I’m in the hospital, sick, please wire money right away.” “Grandpa: I’m stuck overseas, please send money.” Grandparent scams can take a new twist – and a new sense of urgency – in these days of Coronavirus. Here’s what to keep in mind.
In grandparent scams, scammers pose as panicked grandchildren in trouble, calling or sending messages urging the grandparent to wire money immediately.
They’ll say they need cash to help with an emergency – like paying a hospital bill or needing to leave a foreign country.
They pull at the grandparent’s heartstrings so they can trick them into sending money before they realize it’s a scam.
In these days of Coronavirus concerns, the scammer’s lies can be particularly compelling and profoundly traumatizing. But we all need to save our money for real family emergencies.
How Can We All Avoid Grandparent Scams Or Family Emergency Scams?
If someone calls or sends a message claiming to be a grandchild, other family member or friend desperate for money:
- Resist the urge to act immediately – no matter how dramatic the story is.
- Verify the caller’s identity – ask questions that a stranger couldn’t possibly answer.
- Call a family member for confirmation – call a phone number for your family member or friend that you know to be genuine.
- Check the story out with someone else in your family or circle of friends – even if you’ve been told to keep it a secret.
- Don’t send cash, gift cards, or money transfers – once the scammer gets the money, it’s gone!
For more information, read Family Emergency Scams.
And If You Get A Scam Call, Email, Or Message Report It To:
- SCARS www.Anyscam.com
- The FBI at www.IC3.gov
- And the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.
TAGS: SCARS, Act Against Scams, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Scam Victims, Coronavirus Scams, COVID-19 Scams, Crisis Scams, Emergency Scams, Grandparent Scams, Phone Scams, Email Scams, Text Scams, Messaging Scams
SCARS™ Editorial Team
Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
A Worldwide Crime Victims Assistance Nonprofit Organization
Visit: www.AgainstScams.org
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FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?
It is essential that law enforcement knows about scams & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.
Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:
- Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
- U.S. State Police (if you live in the U.S.) – they will take the matter more seriously and provide you with more help than local police
- Your National Police or FBI « www.IC3.gov »
- The SCARS|CDN™ Cybercriminal Data Network – Worldwide Reporting Network on « www.Anyscam.com »
This helps your government understand the problem, and allows law enforcement to add scammers on watch lists worldwide.
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To learn more about SCARS visit « www.AgainstScams.org »
Please be sure to report all scammers
on « www.Anyscam.com »
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