Scammers Pretend to Be “Attorney” in New Grandparent Scam

Scammers often have to switch their tactics to stay one step ahead…

Who Is It Targeting: Grandparents

What Is It: The infamous grandparents’ scam, but with a new twist

What Are They After: Grandparents’ scams have been around for a while, but this version has a slight change. Someone pretending to be your grandchild calls and speaks for just a few seconds—in order to avoid being detected as a fraud. They say they’ve been arrested and need bail money, and quickly pass the phone off to their “attorney.” The attorney tells you to pay the bail money in cash mailed inside a magazine, only the address you’re given is to an empty house with an unattended mailbox.

How Can You Avoid It:

• Never send cash through the mail, or try to pay a fee or fine with a gift card if told to.
• In any type of grandparent scam, simply contact your loved one before taking any action.
• Report the matter to the police so they can warn the public.

Find more information about current scams and alerts here. For full details of this scam check out this article from ClayCountyFreePress.com

If you think you may be a victim of identity theft, contact the Identity Theft Resource Center for toll-free, no-cost assistance at (888) 400-5530.