An elderly lady told me she almost got taken in by the "granddaughter in jail" scam, a particularly evil bit of fraud making the rounds.
Because this scam also almost bit a friend of mine, and because word seems to be slow getting out, I am going to ask for your help.
Please, if you know anyone who has grandchildren old enough to travel, ask them to read this.
If you have grandchildren, this is serious. A lot of your money is at stake. If you fall for this, the police cannot help you.
If you are a bank clerk, or a Western Union or MoneyGram clerk, please read this as well. Help your community fight crime.
The deal goes like this: The phone rings. A voice says it is your grandson or granddaughter and he or she is in trouble -- in jail, or involved in a car crash in Canada, or stranded in some foreign airport.
This grandchild needs you to do two things.
First, you must send thousands of dollars for getting out of jail, paying bail, hiring an attorney, whatever.
Second, you must not tell the parents. "Mom would kill me!" the voice pleads.
Ignore those requests. Instead, do these two things.
First, take the caller's number and hang up. Tell the voice on the phone nothing. No credit card numbers, phone numbers or even your full name.
Second, call that kid's parents immediately. Ask: "Where is my grandchild?"
I guarantee you, your grandchild is not in jail or stranded somewhere. The kid may even answer the phone.
This is a massive scam. It has cost many grandparents in Utah thousands of dollars. Why does it work?
Elderly people are not stupid, but Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff proved anyone can be fooled. Crooks know grandparents love their grandkids, are trusting and worry easily.
But, you ask, "Why does that sound like my grandchild on the phone?" My caller and my friend both insisted the voice sounded right.
This is where phone technology meets the human brain.
Telephones today suck. Digital technology in cellphones strips voices of most of their sound fidelity. When a tinny voice comes through the static and says it is your granddaughter or grandson, your brain fills in the blanks.
A huge red flag is that scammers always say, "Send the money fast!" You need to go to your bank today, get cash and take it to Western Union or MoneyGram.
When my friend went to the bank, the clerk had heard about this scam. My friend was gently urged to do more checking. He did, and saved his money.
The elderly lady? The Western Union clerk, God bless him, told her about the scam, but a bank clerk let her take the money out.
It would be a huge community service if banks, Western Union and MoneyGram would give copies of this column to all their clerks. It's easy to say, "It's not our business what people do with their money," but preventing crime, especially against the elderly, is everyone's business.
Western Union and MoneyGram have fraud information on their websites, but the first line of defense is you. Tell anyone with a grandchild always to check if they get a phone call from a grandchild in trouble.
Sometimes, the scam is a child calling parents or a sibling. In all cases, it's the same: "I'm in trouble. I need cash quick."
Take a breath. Don't do it.
Remember: In the unlikely event the caller really is in jail, he or she is not going anywhere.
You have time. Check.
The money you save will be yours.
Wasatch Rambler is the opinion of Charles Trentelman. You can call him at 801-625-4232 or email ctrentelman@standard.net. He also blogs at www.standard.net.
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