Avoiding ‘Grandparent Scams’ For National Fraud Awareness Week (August 4th – 10th)

According to the FBI, “Grandparent Scams” are on the rise both locally and across the US, as seniors are being tricked into believing their grandchildren are in trouble and in need of immediate financial assistance. Steve Worrall, an elder law attorney in Marietta, reveals how to recognize and avoid such scams for National Fraud Awareness Week (August 4th – 10th).  

MARIETTA, GA (08/01/16)- A cruel and very dangerous senior scam is on the rise both locally and across the United States, causing grandparents to fork over thousands of dollars to con-artists posing as their grandchildren who claim to be in serious danger and in need of immediate financial assistance. 

Often referred to as the “Grandparent Scam” by the FBI, unsuspecting seniors are finding themselves awakened late at night or early in the morning by a “grandchild” claiming to have been mugged while out of town or under arrest and afraid to call mom or dad for bail money. 

“Thanks to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, these scams have gotten so sophisticated that con-artists are able to use the grandchild’s correct name and sprinkle in other personal details about the grandchild (i.e. where they go to college, recent trips, names of significant others), causing grandparents to believe the pleas for cash are legitimate,” warns Marietta, Georgia, elder law attorney Worrall.  

From there, the senior is then defrauded out of hundreds, and many times thousands, of dollars believing they are helping their loved one in a dire emergency situation. 

If faced with such a call, Worrall encourages seniors to keep pushing for more personal details before handing over sensitive bank account information or credit card numbers. A few tips he recommends include: 

• Paying attention to how the grandparent is addressed at the start of the call. If a grandchild has always referred to the grandparent as “mom-mom” or “nana,” someone who calls asking for “grandmother” is likely a con-artist.
• Use a cell phone or other line simultaneously to try to contact other family members to see if the call is legitimate.
• Ask the caller to provide specific details that would not likely be known on social media sites such as favorite childhood memories, family traditions, etc.
• Avoid the pressure to act quickly. While emergency situations do require diligent action, aggressive pressure to act quickly is likely the work of a scam artist. 

Once the grandparent is able to verify that the call is fake, Worrall also recommends reporting the incident to the Atlanta FBI field office at (404) 679-9000 to help protect other area seniors who may be at risk. 

For more information on “Grandparent Scams,” visit the FBI website at www.fbi.gov. For more information on Marietta elder law attorney, Steve Worrall, visit GeorgiaEstatePlan.com or call 770.425.6060.