Beware of Grandparent Scam

A VERY SUCCESSFUL telephone scam from way back has been uncovered again by the Federal Trade Commission. It goes something like this over the phone:

Caller: "Grandma! Hi, How are you?"
Grandma: "Hi,... Billy, Is that you? How are you?"
Caller: Actually, I'm in some trouble, and don't want Mom and Dad to know..."

The phony grandchild claims that he or she needs emergency cash to fix a car, get out of jail or leave a foreign country. "Billy" begs his grandparent to keep the request confidential and to wire money right away. Wiring money through Western Union and MoneyGram is much like sending cash, with little chance for tracking it or getting it back.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says complaints about this scam are on the rise. In many cases the scammers know names of family members and are successful in impersonating the grandchild. It's also easy to trick the other person onto revealing a grandchild's name or other information. The con artists count on a grandparent's love and concern. It can often outweigh any skepticism. The victims often don't realize they've been taken until much later, when they speak to their real grandchild, who knows nothing about any phone call. By then, the money is long gone.

The FTC offers some "fight back" advice if you gat a call from a family member asking you to bail him or her out af a phony problem.
Try to verify the caller's identity by asking personal questions a stranger couldn't answer.

Resist pressure to act immediately. Tell the family member you need to call "right back" on a phone number you know is legitimate. If you don't have that phone number, call the persons parent, spouse or another close family member to check out the story before you send any money, even if you've been sworn to secrecy.
If you can't reach a family member and still aren't sure what to do, call your local police on the non-emergency line for assistance and advice.
No matter how dramatic the story, don't wire money or send a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier. Con artists use these services so they can get your money before you realize you've been cheated.
And if you suspect fraud, report it immediately to www.ftc.gov and click on "contact us" or call 1-877-FTC_HELP (382-4357).
from Costco Connection