Grandparents in Greensboro are finding themselves in the middle of a phone scam. According to police, the scam involves a caller who claims the victim’s grandchild is in trouble in another country and needs money.
The caller then begs the grandparents not to tell the grandchild’s parents, and asks them to wire money to Western Union to pay for bail and court costs.
According to Greensboro Police Department Public Information Officer Susan Danielsen, the Grandchild-in-Trouble scam or a variation of it has been around for at least three years and it's not limited to the Triad. She says many people have become wise to it, refusing to wire the money. However, this summer her office has received two to three calls per month from seniors who have fallen victim to the scam.
Danielsen says this scam is hard to investigate. There's no way to trace who picks up the money, and there is no way for the grandparents to get their money back. The scam increases during the summer and holiday months when young adults are most likely to travel.
To avoid being victimized by the Grandchild-in-Trouble scam, Danielsen suggests that grandparents be aware of their grandchild's whereabouts, and she advises them to call a relative to find out their grandchild's location if needed. She warns seniors to never wire money to strangers.
