Scamming the Elderly

The Wisconsin State Journal recently published an article unveiling a scam designed to target the elderly at this time of year. Apparently, scam artists are using Spring Break as a means to Scam-a-Grandma.

Scam artists pose as grandchildren in need of emergency help a.k.a. money. They call up the elderly person and begin with the simple phrase, Hi Grandma, its me. Once the grandma or grandpa says something like, John, is that you?, the scammer is in and creates an emergency situation in which they need cash and fast.

The following is an example of a scam that appeared in the article written by George Hesselberg (03-24-09)

Officials were alerted to the latest attempt by Daryll Lund, of Community Bankers of Wisconsin.

The customer of a bank in Dane County received three calls from her grandson, and when she came in to the bank for a third withdrawal – after explaining in two earlier visits she was gifting her grandchildren $5,000 each time, the bank staff did not feel comfortable. The customer was tracked to a Wal-Mart where a $10,000 money order was being purchased. She was certain a grandson had called, but the Wal-Mart manager would not put the third wired money order through, so the customer brought the money back to the bank, Lund said. Total lost: $10,000. The grandson was not on spring break and was not in a car crash, Lund said.

Pitman, Kalkhoff, Sicula & Dentice, S.C. is a Wisconsin law firm with a devoted nursing home abuse practice.