Grandparent Scams Get Victims in Their Hearts

Grandparents have special bonds with their grandchildren, and scammers know it. Thieves get money from their victims by exploiting this vulnerability. These victims receive phone calls from people claiming to be their grandchildren, or someone representing them. They say they’ve been in an accident, are under arrest or in trouble in a foreign country and need money fast. But the only urgency is with the scammers, who will sometimes even come to the victim’s home to pick up the money.
 

The scammers often will work as teams, with some participants in the scheme posing as attorneys or bail bondsmen or medical professionals. Part of the approach includes telling victims not to speak of what happened, keeping them from checking out their stories.

The imperative is to act quickly, to hand over cash. Sometimes, a scheme participant will come to the victim’s home to pick up the money.

In 2021, more than 450 Americans (IC3).