There is another scam working its way through the area. The State Police is warning of a scam that preys on grandparents. Several senior citizens in the region recently lost over $56,000 in what is known as the ‘Grandparent Scam’ or the Family Emergency scam.’ On October 8th, an 83-year-old husband and wife from Verona, received calls from people pretending to be their grandsons, who said they had just been arrested and needed $14,000 in cash for legal fees. On November 20th, a 79-year-old woman from Oneida received a call from a person purporting to be her son-in-law, who said they had just been in an accident, arrested, and needed $7,600 in cash for bail. On November 26th, an 87-year-old woman received a phone call from a person who identified himself as her grandson, who said they needed $40,000 in cash for legal fees. The scammer allegedly then told the women to call “lawyers” who were representing them and when they did, the “lawyer” demanded they wire him cash. In all three cases, the money was sent without delay. State Police urge Grandparents finding themselves in a similar situation to try and get hold of their grandchild or the child’s parents to confirm the status of the child before sending any money. Grandparents can also ask a question only their grandchild would know, such as the name of a pet, the grandchild’s mother’s birthday, or the name of the grandchild’s elementary school. Police urge anyone victimized in similar incidents to contact the New York Office of the Attorney General at 1-800-771-7755.
