grandparent scam

The so-called grandparent scam has been around for years, but it’s recently become more sophisticated.

Grandparent scam – On the other end of the phone is the sound of desperation.

The so-called grandparent scams gather information about the target person, their family, friends, even dogs and cats.

A sting known as the grandparent scam in which fraud artists plead desperately for money, pretending to be young relatives.

I'm talking about what the Federal Trade Commission calls family emergency scams, often known as the grandparent scam because it frequently targets well-meaning seniors.

Bogus caller ID has also been used in grandparent scams which target the elderly by impersonating family members and requesting wire transfer of money.

At the same time, Webb, a small-time con man who specializes in grandparent scams, is released from prison and surprises his girlfriend, Amy, by coming home a day early.

Authorities across the United States say these "grandparent scams" have reached an alarming rate, and what is more, they have proven so successful that con artists are using them against younger victims.

The new Facebook scam is also reminiscent of a traditional grandparent scam, she said, where a criminal calls a victim pretending to be a grandchild and makes a desperate plea for bail money or emergency cash.

In addition to the grandparent scams, the cons include requests from bogus charities and the "advance fee fraud," in which victims are told they have won a prize but must pay for processing fees or taxes.

Like those romantic emails purportedly from someone you met overseas ("Darling, I was heading to the airport to visit you when I had an accident, please wire money") or the infamous "grandparent scam" that targets older folks with phone calls ("Grandma, I'm in jail in Europe, please wire money").

Event Description: Big Sky Senior Services will be launching a statewide campaign to promote World Elder Abuse Awareness Day WEAAD through sharing the Grandparent Scam and Scammed Now what flyers created by NCEA.