There was a time not long ago when grandma and grandpa were among the most highly respected titles and honorees in our society. Certainly they were rarely the targets of harm by even the most vile of evildoers of any sort. A recent news item reported on another elderly gentlemen in Niagara who was a victim of what has become known as the “grandparent scam.” I am very happy that this reporting was a front page news item as any activity that so despicably disrespects our elders should make the headlines. One has to be among the most amoral of persons to take advantage and disrespect their elders. Might these scammers think of their mothers while committing what must be the nearest to the most heinous of evil doings?
Be aware that when a specific scam gets its own name, it means the frequency of such swindling is on the upswing. Within our circle of elderly friends and acquaintances we are aware of two widowed ladies who were contacted by these disdainful scammers. These two women are bright and alert people – not dummies. Fortunately they became suspicious during the process and terminated the activity. In one case, the bank inquired about the reasons the woman was withdrawing such a large amount of her savings.
In actuality, many of these scams are often not reported as the victims are often embarrassed by their naivete and disbelieve that they would ever encounter such despicable persons. In their hearts they would never abandon their loved ones in desperate need of help, especially the younger members of their family, but their gentle minds are easily tricked by these skillfully manipulative scammers.
The intent of this column is the hope of alerting more seniors in our community about the presence of this particular scam. According to the Niagara Regional Police (NRPS), there have been a number of cases across the Region recently and the victims have lost a considerable amount of money. It would be advisable for the children of elderly parents, or other family members, to discuss the presence of these scams with the elders in their circle and be alert to how they are executed.
Here is a brief outline of such a scam. You receive a phone call from a person claiming to be a youthful member of your family, or one alleging to be their representative. They will claim to be in immediate and desperate need of your financial help. They need to keep other members of the family from learning of their difficulty and they need the money in cash. Their representative will pick up the money at your residence at a very near time – in a day or two. Likely they will claim to repay the money as it is allegedly to be only a loan.
If you are ever approached by someone masquerading as a youthful member of your family who claims to be desperately in need of help, ignore the gag order the caller has imposed and consult with another member of the family, a trusted adviser or the police. In such cases, don’t accede to your heart’s usual generosity, but rather seek to clarify your unsettled mind.
Finally, be aware that we live among such evildoers and hope that our justice system will remove them from our presence.
