OT: Scam BEWARE!!

My mom (83 yrs. old) called me a short while ago - CRYING

She tells me my son is in Canada in jail and needs money to be bailed out. He told her not to call me because I have enough on my mind.

She initially heeds his wish.

She doesn't have any money...so she calls my sister.....sister says she doesn't have any $$ either, but mom should call me.

I say wait a minute....just saw son this morning about 9:00 (she said he called at 10:00) I say I'll call right back...I'm going to call and see if he is, indeed, at work.

HE WAS!!!!

Someone tried to scam my mother....and I'm so TICKED OFF!!!

Watch out for this.....their first line is 'THIS IS YOUR OLDEST GRANDSON'....then they proceed to tug on the heartstrings......

I've instructed mom to get ahold of the phone company (they said they'll call back...not sure if they will or not) and get that call trapped and traced, just in case.

GRRR....money makes people so evil sometimes.

This happened in Springfield Mo a couple weeks ago (where my "local" TV comes from). The news team was actually there at the couple's house doing an interview when the caller called back. That call started "Hey Grandpa it's me..." and they initially KNEW the name of the grandson--who was in Memphis not canada. You or your parents should contact the local news channel.

And the FBI--this is a federal offense. Might want to start by contacting the state Atty General's office for direction., These scammers are hard to catch, but if victims report these attempts ASAP...It will help. Our state is pretty pro-active on this stuff.

I called the sheriff's dept....they said there was a 'notice' on the TV the other night.

Well...we live in Podunkville (Ü) about 90 miles from the nearest TV stations, so I told them that a lot of older people either don't watch TV or aren't up at 10PM, so they should get it out on the radio stations...he said he'd prepare a press release for the radio stations.

He knew all about it...the opening line, etc....the calls are originating from Canada, usually Ontario.....exactly where Mom's call came from....and that they're using prepaid phones that are untraceable/disposable.

SIL said a lady she works with got the same call the other day.

I'm just SICK about the anguish these potential THIEVES are causing!

I am very upset about your ordeal, Nan. What a world...

Thank goodness you were there for your Mom! And you reported it to the authorities--every little bit of info helps if and when they finally catch these people. I worked in the psych field for many years, and here's the thing about crooks--they get caught sooner or later because they become cocky, overconfident, and that's when they slip up. I am a firm believer in what goes around, comes around--I've seen it happen so many times, with. both positive and negative outcomes. Have faith--you've got some good karma coming to you ^_^

I hope they find these people Nan.Anyone that prays on the elderly/disabled deserves to get caught.

I saw this scam on TV. So awful!!!!

Nan, first of all I'm so glad your son was at work and okay, secondly I am so glad your Mom called family!

I've heard of this Scam before. A few years ago it was happening here in Florida which has a large population of elderly in a few areas around the state! I would definitely notify the police and all media outlets ... Newspapers, Television and Radio. Also Churches ... they can alert their parishoners during the weekly services. It is such a shame that these criminals have to prey on the elderly. I truly believe they will get what's coming to them someday!

I remember an elderly lady here in central florida who was scammed a couple of years ago. It wasn't this particular scam but she lost thousands of dollars and when she finally realized something wasn't right, she reported it to authorities and later went on the news to hopefully keep others from the same fate. She said she was embarrassed that she had been so gullible. There have been so many scams against the elderly. I think there are probably many who have lost money but when they realized it was a scam they were too embarrassed to say anything to anybody. So sad!

Thanks for your support, everyone.

Never thought that would happen to my mom....but it did...just wanted to prevent anyone else from going through such anguish.

At first, my mom had me convinced, because she was so upset.
I *have* had a lot on my mind lately...something my son would certainly say, and my mom was so convincing at first..she was so upset!
I thought to myself 'OK...I saw him last night about 9:00, did he sneak away (not likely) and go to Canada(possible....Wisconsin's not *that* far from Canada)...*did* I see him this morning...or, crap...was that yesterday? I began to think I was crazy!
You know...if mom says he's in Canada....you're convinced, albeit briefly, that he is!!

My son had made some 'poor choices' in the past, but I thought just that...they were in the past.....I was so confused for a while!

Mom asked why he was in Canada...he said 'I went with 3 girls/friends of mine to a music festival'.....(again - not likely, but indeed, possible!)

But...she said....'it sounded like him, but he seemed to have a bit of an accent...I haven't talked to him in a while...does he *speak* differently recently?
Then she said...when he calls back, I'm going to ask him a few questions that only he would know the answers to(so she was 'on her toes')...but I swear, at first, if she'd had the $$....she would have sent it!

They haven't called back, BTW

Thank Goodness she didn't have the money and also thank goodness she had (what I like to call) that "little angel voice" telling her to call someone in the family!

I hadn't heard about this scam so thank you, thank you for sharing. I think I would have a heart attack if I got a call saying my child or grandchild was in a jail in another country. My heart breaks for your family........can't even imagine the pain you felt. I would follow through with the state attorney's office....................

unbelievable! I had not heard of this scam before. i cant imagine the pain it caiused your mom, but she needs, from now on, to call you FIRST!

My husbands Aunt works at a Walmart in FL, shes in customer service. Everytime we visit her she tells us about all these older people bringing in money to send (wire) Canada and other countries. They tell her its to relatives, like nephews and grandsons. Sometimes they come in a couple days in a row to send money, quite a bit of money. She says she wants to tell them no, she won't send it, go home, but she cant. But she can bother them about it and she does that, tries to quiz them, get more info from them, tells them about scams (and tells them this is the last time she'll send this money cause she thinks they are being scamed ..cause they don't know she can't refuse sending unless she knows it a scam). Of course they'll just go someplace else the next time, but I guess it's off her concience some. I've never wired money, so I don't know how it works, but she said Western Union does have a list of "blocks on transferrs", I guess they are known scamers, and if the number or something is on that list, money can't be wired. So I guess they're trying. It's a shame older people have been smart with their money for so many years and suddenly they are older and make poor decisions like this. Shame on people who pray on older people just because they have a big heart.

And what is with this "here is a big check, cash it at your bank and send some of it back to us: and why can a check actually clear a bank and then the back say it was fraud and you owe us the money back for a bad check?...it CLEARED!?? I've glad to say I've been lucky to have been smarter than to fall for any of that, but was just wondering.

tish

When you cash a check at your bank, you have to have enough money in your account to cover it. The scammers know that once it's cleared your bank, you are stuck. And they have your money. I wish everyone would just delete those scammer emails, but people are hurting now, and will fall for it because they are almost desperate. I get at least one a day and wish I knen where to report it.

Report it to your e-mail provider as spam--It my not help others--but it will eventually cause that sending address to be closed out.

One thing people need to realize is that just because the funds are available in an account, does not mean the check has "cleared" the originating financial institution. After a hold is released (if one is placed), the funds are usually made available - but that does NOT mean that "your" bank has received notification from the originating bank. If notification is made to the bank AFTER the hold is released that the funds are no good, then a bank can and will debit an account those funds . . . sometimes with a fee attached, for depositing a bad check (not that the depositor KNEW it was bad, but bad none the less).

This would be the case for these fraud money orders, or personal checks written by your neighbor.

I don't know if that clarifies anything, or just makes the water more muddy.

I am sick with you, whoever had a relative scammed. I hope everything is working out ok.
Here's my version. Mom left the grocery store and about a half mile later, halfway home, noticed the person behind her beeping, gesturing or something. So she pulls over on a residential street and talks to this woman, who says Mom bumped her car in the parking lot and made a mark, (showed some mark on the car) and Mom needs to make it right.
Long long story short- Mom was not physically harmed, but very upset and out some money, to a druggie. Do not stop on the street by yourself for a stranger. Do not believe the body shop only takes cash. Eventually she fessed up to me, and talked to the police. They had other cases like this. Finally arrested the woman with several purses in her trunk.
My friend's mom had some 'helpful' guy notice something wrong with her tire in a parking lot, and for some cash he could fix it quickly. How low can you go?
(excuse me if I'm butting in- I came looking for Streptocarpella info)

Thanks everyone for sharing, some of those are new to me. I hate the phone call that starts "Your credit cards aren't in trouble yet" then you're supposed to call the number, give them your credit card number, etc. to protect your cards. We're on the donotcall list, but these get away with it by using a recording, you can't turn them in.

Scams go on year round but seem to intensify during the holiday season. It was on our news tonight about an elderly couple here in town who got a call from a man in Canada saying he was their grandson and had been in a car accident and needed $5,800 to pay some medical bills! The elderly couple fell for it, wired the money to Canada. Later were speaking to their grandson by phone and he told them he had not been in Canada, he was at home in Pennsylvania! The news report said they were able to get back almost $3,000. Here's the report: http://www.wesh.com/news/18150502/detail.html

I often wonder if these predators ever think about their own parents/grandparents being preyed upon by people just like them? I doubt it though ... it's all about the quick money, they don't have any feelings or consideration or empathy for their fellow human beings. And, these predators are heartless, cowardly examples of human beings in my opinion.

I don't think they can be classified as human beings. I firmly believe you reap what you sow, they'll get theirs someday.

Exactly Sally! I'm a firm believer in this! I've seen it happen so many times--what goes around...comes around. Ya can't beat the karma system!

This morning I got a missed call on my cell phone. not many people have my cell #. Does anyone know how this happens? (there has always been a # before).

If I get a cell phone call without a phone number, I ignore it. If I don't recognize the number, I ignore it...if they leave a message, I'll listen to that. Very rarely has it been someone I gave my cell number to and is trying to reach me.

About the check thing....they are all written from non-american banks I assume...that should be a BIG clue. You could take a check to the bank it was written on and cash it there if it was for real....and when are they real...ha. People know better, they just want to get lucky. I didn't know the hold was for MY account, that explains everything....but it's still not fair...it shouldn't be released until it's transferred and there at the bank!

tish