The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has reported that it has received calls about scam phone calls in Polk County that are targeting senior citizens for their money that they are calling Grandkid Scams.
According to Polk County Sheriff Jim Tadman, it goes something like this: “Grandma, I need money for bail.” Or money for a medical bill or some other kind of trouble. The caller says it is urgent and may tell you to keep it a secret.
The caller may not be who you think it is. Scammers are good at pretending to be someone they are not. They can be convincing: Sometimes using information from social networking sites or hacking into your loved one’s email account. It will seem real, and they will pressure you to send money before you have time to think.
Here is what you can do:
1. Stop. Check it out. Look up your loved one’s phone number yourself or call another family member.
2. Pass this information on to a friend. You may not have gotten one of these calls, but chances are you know someone who will get one – if they haven’t already.
Please contact the Federal Trade Commission to report these scams at 1-877-382-4357.
These are real bad guys who want to take advantage of your love for your family and friends. By reporting the call and filing a complaint, you can help identify the imposters and stop them before they can hustle someone’s hard-earned money.
