Back in 2015, the Cook County News-Herald was notified that an elderly Cook County gentleman had received a phone call purportedly from his grandson. His “grandson” said he was in trouble, in jail, saying he had been set up and he needed money to get out.
He pleaded with his “grandfather” not to tell grandma. Just go to the bank and withdraw a couple of thousand dollars and then call back and get instructions on where to send the cash.
“Grandpa” did as he was instructed, but an alert teller asked now retired Grand Marais State Bank President Mike LaVigne to check into the transaction. LaVigne made a phone call to the number and discovered it had come from someone running a telephone scam set up to steal money from vulnerable folks whose first thought is, “yes, I will help my daughter, granddaughter, brother etc., anyway that I can.”
Thankfully no cash was withdrawn, but the man who was almost scammed was really shaken up.
Now five years later, the Grand Marais State Bank has called again to tell us they are receiving a rash of “Grandpa Scams” coupled with a variety of other scams that appear to be—but are not-originating from Google or Amazon of the Geek Squad.
Cook County Sheriff Pat Eliasen has some words of advice for people who are dealing with suspicious calls involving large transfers of money.
“One of the most common scams lately has been someone notifying you that a relative has been arrested in a different state and they are requesting that you send bail money for them. This can be a difficult scam to navigate because the suspect is usually very pushy and does not give you time to make an informed decision. Just know that a licensed bondsman will not be pushy with you and will give you contact information if you request it. It is best to request this information so you can take the time and call your local law enforcement agency and have them verified. If they are legitimate, this process will be quick and easy. If it’s an issue of bail money, call us and we’ll check it out.”
“Other scams include: 1) sweepstakes winnings that you need to send money for before they release your funds, 2) buying something from you and giving you a check that is made out for more than the purchase price and then asking you to cash it and then give them the remainder (as an added kick, they take the object you were selling).”
“These checks are never legitimate and you will more than likely end up on the hook to the financial institution for the money that was given to you to fund the check.”
“The bottom line is that the scammers target the elderly. That being said, if someone calls you with some type of story asking for money and you don’t know them, please call the Sherriff ’s Office (218-387-3030) and we will gladly speak with them.”
FTC
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also offers some advice.
“Scammers will say anything to cheat people out of money. Some seem very friendly—calling you by your first name, making small talk, and asking about your family. They may claim to work for a company you trust, or they may send mail or place ads to convince you to call them.”
“If you get a call from someone you don’t know who is trying to sell you something you hadn’t planned to buy, say ‘No thanks.’ And, if they pressure you about giving up personal information—it’s likely a scam. Hang up and report it to the Federal Trade Commission.”
You can file a fraud report with the FTC online at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-382-4357.
“Some things that can be done to protect yourself and your loved ones are to register your home and mobile phone numbers with the National Do Not Call Registry. This won’t stop all unsolicited call, but it will stop most.
“If your number is on the registry and you still get calls, they’re probably from scammers ignoring the law. Hang up, and report them at www.donotcall.gov.”
Beware of skimming
Skimming requires a thief to have a physical scanner that reads the information from your credit card. These devices are surprisingly easy to get and thieves can be rather creative in using them to tamper with ATMs, card readers at businesses, and other places where your card is swiped on a regular basis.”
Bottom line, if there is any unusual activity on your card; call your bank to learn more. They will help you discover where, when, and what has been purchased. Then, if you know there is illegal activity associated with your card, call your credit card company and make sure the card is cancelled. Talk to the provider of the card and see what can be done to mitigate or have the illegal purchases dropped.
Also, it’s a good idea to keep a frequent check on your card(s). It’s better to be safe than sorry.
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