What’s known as the “Grandparent Scam” is starting to show up more and more in the broadcast area.
Butler County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Mike Lammers tells RadioOnTheGo News about how potential victims are being contacted.
“The majority of these people, they get their information by what our victims actually put out on Facebook. So they’ll put their pictures of their grandkids at college. They’ll talk about vacations they’ve taken. They’ll do, you’ve been on Facebook, almost everybody has, and kind of see. Some people put their life story on there, and people that are taking advantage of us now are using Facebook to really do their homework before they go in and try to take the money from the victims.”
In this scam, callers target older people by claiming to be a grandchild with an emergency need for cash.
Lammers has the following advice for residents if they receive a suspicious call.
“First thing I would tell the person do would be to ask what jail they’re in and then just hang up the phone. And if they just don’t feel right or they’re nervous that something’s going on, pick the phone back up, make sure that you’re dialing the correct number to that jail, ask to talk to a supervisor, ask to talk to somebody. Even before you do that, call us. So if this happened in Butler County and they’re claiming that your grandson or granddaughter arrested in Florida or whatever where they might be going to college or Minnesota or Iowa City, wherever it is, call us. Let us reach out to the police departments that we’re talking to an actual police officer. We’re talking to the actual jail because sometimes even that can be part of their scam where they’re going to give you a number to call back and you think you’re talking to law enforcement and you’re actually not.”
Americans older than 60 lost 3-point-4-billion dollars to scams in 2023.
