New Twists to the Grandparent Scam Are Fooling Seniors
You’ve heard about the grandparent scam? Hopefully, your parent is aware of it, too. Some seniors are falling for a new twist on the scam. One woman lost more than $7,000 because it seemed so real. Here are some of the ways this scam is adapting in order to fool more people.
The Calls Seem to Come from the Police
Home Care in San Juan Capistrano, CA: Grandparent Scams Are Fooling Seniors
One of the ways this scam has changed is that the callers are spoofing the phone numbers of police and local attorneys. One woman got a phone call and the caller ID displayed the name and number of a real police department. As it said the police, she answered it and was told her grandson had been arrested and the lawyer needed cash for legal fees.
She was given the chance to talk to her grandson, and the voice sounded like him, so she didn’t question it. He told her the public defender would be calling her with instructions on where to send money. When the lawyer’s call came in, that too showed an actual law firm. She looked up both numbers and organization/firm names online to see if they were real.
Spoofing is a technique scammers use to make it look like they’re calling from an official number. You can look up that number and company or organization name to see if it matches the phone number. The problem is that technology has been used to fake where the call is really coming from. You can no longer trust that the number showing on your caller ID is really the caller’s number.
Callers Are Asking for Cash
It used to be that most scams asked for the target to wire cash using a company like Western Union. Gift card purchases were another common technique for getting money. Due to the possibility of being traced, scammers are now asking targets to use FedEx or UPS to send cash in a package.
The instructions tend to be very specific. Seniors are told to withdraw the cash from their bank and tell the employee they’re withdrawing the money to buy new appliances or something else that’s a significant purchase. They’re instructed to put the cash into several envelopes and insert those envelopes into books or magazines that get boxed up.
Once the package is sent, there’s a short time frame to recover it. If they actually receive the package, the money is gone. If your parent realizes it was a scam before the package is delivered, you can stop it.
If your mom or dad is lonely, they’re more likely to fall for a scam. Home care services make sure your parents have companionship. Caregivers can answer phones and keep an eye on your parents’ activities. It’s worth looking into home care to be sure your parents avoid being scammed.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care in San Juan Capistrano, CA, please contact the caring staff at Easy Living Home Care today. Providing Non-Medical Home Care Services in Orange County, CA since 2009. Call for Assistance: (949) 282-5017 or (949) 842-6831.
At a very young age it was always Ms. LaPorte’s passion to work with the elderly. She was a caregiver at a nursing home in high school and college and volunteered in senior centers and senior events held by the city in which she grew up. After graduation, Ms. LaPorte became a special education teacher for sixteen years.
She put her teaching career on the sidelines to raise two wonderful children, during which her passion for the elderly inspired her to start Easy Living Home Care in 2009. Ms. Laporte wanted to help people, especially seniors, find competent, qualified, and caring in-home care at reasonable rates.
Ms LaPorte takes an active role in conducting and managing all operations of her business. She is patient, compassionate and listens. Ms. Laporte is always available to her clients and staff.
In her spare time, Lori volunteers for the American Red Cross and Leashes of Love canine rescue organization.
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