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Across the Fence:  Scams on the Elderly...Protect your relatives!!!  |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 14 2010 : 1:40:37 PM
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Protect your grands and elderly relatives and friends!
We have an elderly client, a widow, who has been receiving phone calls for many weeks from 2-3 different lottery scams. They ask these older folks to pay money for "taxes and fees" and then they'll send you "millions"...She is torn--she wants to believe them, but she's smart enough to know that something is amiss.
They are, at this point, calling her two, three times daily with these calls and have become belligerent because she keeps referring them to our office.
These scammers call from throw away cell phones in cafe's across the world, mostly in Pakistan or other Arab countries...I've talked with 3 of them personally, returning calls to "David Armstrong" or "John Anderson" or "Pete Marsh" whose Arabian accents are so thick it sounds like they're chewing jerky when they speak, and the car horns and street noise indicates that they're sitting at outdoor cafes where there is obviously, Wifi.
Our client has advised them that she will no longer talk to them, that they need to call her attorney's office, AND THEY DO!!!?? THESE IDIOTS ACTUALLY RING UP AN ATTORNEY'S OFFICE to tell us details of their criminal schemes....and upon further communication and investigation with our Attorney General (who says there is little to nothing you can do to stop them because they are on untraceable cell lines), they've actually called her, too!!!
Our AG told me that one poor lady inadvertently gave these jerks her ss# and they called the telephone company and had her number changed, based on her ss# so that only THEY could call her for a few days, make her feel totally isolated and nervous and would give in, before her family and friends could get wind of it. She had little to no family nearby...they even told her that they were in the process of buying her a mansion and that she would be moving at the end of the month, if she would simply wire $1,000 right now for taxes up front...
Most of the time, these poor folks have already given money and then wisen up, but it's often too late, and they rarely admit that they've given money out of embarrassment. When they stop, that's when these jerks come on really strong and become verbally abusive. The 2nd guy I talked to last week even did that with me, and I have his number. Can't imagine what it must be like for an older, confused person.
Anyway, there are many, many schemes out there targeting the elderly, I just ask that you be vigilant with your relatives and friends, ask questions about lotteries by phone and things of that nature. You just never know what's going on anymore!!!
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2010 : 2:28:13 PM
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I agree, Jonni!
Another scheme that is important to know about it the "Relative in Trouble in Canada" scheme. Often called the "Grandma Scheme" They call elderly and say their grandson is in jail in Canada. The elderly person usually says "Oh no! Is it Patrick?" and of course now the schemer knows what name to use and assures her it is. Then they have someone come on the line that can impersonate regional accents and they use a bad line so the elderly person can't quite be sure if it is/isn't their relative. Then they are told that they need to wire several thousand dollars immediatly for bail/lawyer fees.
It's sick. If this happens make sure you ask a question that is totally bizarre that only the real person would know.
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2010 : 3:42:04 PM
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That is so funny you mention this... A few years ago, my husband's elderly uncle called our house in a panic one morning all worried about my husband. Someone had called him very late in the prior evening, identifying himself as a police officer from a local township. He told him my husband had been arrested (absolutely NOT!) and that he had used up his last call to contact his wife (me), but I didn't answer. The "officer" told my husband's uncle he was calling as a favor because he was a friend of the family. He said if his uncle wired a sizable sum of money to some place right away, he would use it to get my husband out on bail and that my husband would be released immediately. My husband's uncle was understandably upset, and wanted to know if I could cover the money and get him out of jail or if we needed his help. My husband hadn't been arrested for anything! It was all a scam! Long story short, I called my husband at work who in turn contacted his cousin, a state police officer, and the police department who supposedly was calling his uncle. Nobody had any idea what he was talking about - no one with my husband's name had been arrested, nor was there any warrant out for anyone with his name! The police did start an investigation, but nothing ever came of it. Thankfully his uncle had the sense to call me at home that morning. We were incredulous that someone would do such an evil thing as upsetting an elderly man like that and trying to steal his money. Whomever they were, they knew the name of a local township and by some stroke of luck they knew my husband's name and that the two were related - but now that I read Alee's post, maybe it was information that was provided by his uncle in all the confusion. It was very unnerving and seemed very fishy to me, but my husband does have a HUGE extended family in this area with many, many relatives sharing many of the same or similar names, so it's all possible it was a well-fired shot in the dark by the scam artist. The story was totally fabricated, but believable enough. We are just very grateful his uncle acted with clarity and wisdom and didn't get taken in.
Please just be very cautious and careful when dealing with strangers - please be sure not to give out ANY personal information (nor confirm it), and don't act without confirming anything with your family or the local authorities first.
- Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2010 : 5:20:24 PM
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Oh my goodness, this is exactly what is happening to my friend, Mrs. T. Some of you may remember last year when she sent money to some lottery scams. Then she started getting hundreds of these scams a month. I was having to go every morning before she went to her mail box to get all that crap out before she got it. She sent over $1000. to several places. Then the calls started. And this was last year. This one guy calls nearly every day. Wants her to go to her bank and get money to send him for the taxes before he sends her "millions" to her.
I just cannot believe there is nothing that can be done about this. And for these idiots to be so bold that they even talk to lawyers. They know nothing will ever happen to them. How can they live with theirselves? Mrs. T is 93 and very confused most of the time. It just makes me SO mad that they do this to people like her.
Thank you, Jonni, for bringing this up. I mean really, we have been dealing with this for almost 2 years now. She'll be going to her daughter's again in the V.I. on Dec. so I can try to get this crap stopped again. It took a very long time to get alot of the scams stopped. But now here we go again.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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knittinchick
True Blue Farmgirl
1854 Posts
Megan
Wisconsin
1854 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2010 : 5:34:51 PM
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Oh my, that is sick. My friend's aunt's Facebook and email was recently hacked into. My friend's Mom was with this aunt for the whole weekend, and then all of a sudden, out of the blue, my friend's aunt was "mugged". My friend's Mom gets an email talking about this, and she knows that she wasn't mugged, she was with her all weekend! So these hackers ask for money to help take care of her three kids and bills and blahblah. I just think that's sick and wrong. Thanks for reminding us to watch for this Jonni.
God's Blessings,
Megan aka Loretta Rae
At heart, I am both a sassy city girl and a down-home country gal.
The dictionary is the only place where success comes before work. |
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harmonyfarm
True Blue Farmgirl
785 Posts
Debbie
Southeastern
Ohio
USA
785 Posts |
Posted - Oct 14 2010 : 8:48:14 PM
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I got an e-mail a few weeks ago that my cousin was in England and someone stole her purse with her passport and id's and she was having a hard time getting anyone at the embassy to help.
I just saw my cousin in Ohio the week before and think she would have told me she was planning a trip to England...my goodness these people are getting crafty aren't they?
Debbie
"If you can't find the time to do it right...how will you find the time to do it over" |
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FebruaryViolet
True Blue Farmgirl
4810 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4810 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2010 : 06:06:38 AM
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Alee, that very thing happened to Justin's Grandmother last year. His grandmother, then in the early stages of an illness that has now consumed her, answered the phone one morning to the same "your grandson is in trouble" scam. I was at work and my FIL called to ask me if "Justin had dropped me off" if I'd seen him? Then he asked me if he had been in Canada?!?
Kris...it's really, really, sad, isn't it? I remember you talking about your elderly friend and I wondered if she was dealing with these scams. It's terrible to me that there is little to nothing we can do to stop it, save changing numbers. Our client is getting ready to move across the county so I'm "hoping" she can get a new number, along with a new addy, and all this will stop.
These crooks ARE getting crafty...and it just takes some common sense, and some supportive friends and family that you can trust to ask. Believe it or not, folks, we've even had a client who was a retired police chief fall for one of these Irish Lottery Scams...poor man, he spent his LIFE trying to catch crooks and he fell right for it.
Musings from our family in the Bluegrass http://sweetvioletmae.blogspot.com/ |
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dutchy
True Blue Farmgirl
4427 Posts
4427 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2010 : 06:12:59 AM
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Those are sad things to happen. They happen here too and there are programmes on tv and the radio to warn against these scams. And still people fall for it, sometimes understandebly so. What if I got a call about my brother in Thailand that he was arrested etc?? I would call him but if he wouldn't answer....you get the drift. I myself would never fall for it ( I know my bro's cellphone etc. etc, his friends # too) but I can understad that people do fall for it.
Sad.
Hugs from Marian/Dutchy, a farmgirl from the Netherlands :)
http://pinkprincessdecorating.blogspot.com/
Almost daily updates on me, my home and my crafts
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2010 : 12:38:10 PM
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Jonni, I just talked to her oldest daughter today and told her they were calling again. Her middle daughter will be here Sunday for 4 days and they will hopefully change her number. We talked about doing that last year but Mrs. T kept going on about how she's had that same number forever. But she's just going to have to do it now. I can call all her "people" and let them know. She just needs to be protected.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Oct 15 2010 : 1:23:15 PM
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Kris - If she (or you) call her telephone service provider, they will provide you with information as to how to block certain incoming callers. Where we live, all we have to do is dial a * and then a two-digit number, then we receive a recording prompting us as to how to block an incoming number - basically, all you have to do is type in the unwanted number and accept it. It's honestly that simple. Where we live, we can do this with up to 12 callers. I don't know what this would entail in her/your area, but it is worth a phone call to the phone company. You can also usually find this same information in your public phone book.
We had changed our number to a private number a few months ago because we were receiving harrassing phone calls for a person who had given out our number to their collectors. Long story short, now we're receiving harrassing phone calls from a complete STRANGER's bill collectors - the person who used to own our new private number! It never ends... Basically, when you change your number, you'll never know what you get. That is why I strongly suggest trying to block numbers first.
Hope this is helpful! - Nini
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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Across the Fence: Scams on the Elderly...Protect your relatives!!! |
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Scams on the Elderly...Protect your relatives!!!
