• 20
  • January
    2012

If you received a call from a family member desperate for help, you would at least consider helping them, wouldn't you? Well, that is exactly with scam artists are relying on when they call trusting Arizona seniors in attempt to pilfer money by claiming to a relative in an emergency.

Many Arizona seniors are already forced to live on a tight budget, losing even a small amount of money to these scam artists can make it difficult for them to pay their bills - as such; they need to be vigilant in protecting their assets and avoiding creditor harassment.

Arizona Grandparent Scam

This particular scam usually involves a call to an Arizona senior with the caller claiming to be a relative - often a grandchild, distance cousin or another family member - in an emergency situation. The caller generally gives very little information about their identity, or what the emergency is, and usually requests the senior to wire money immediately. Unfortunately, wired money is difficult, if not impossible, to trace - which means it is gone as soon as you wire it.

The Arizona Attorney General has offered some tips to avoid being scammed by these fraudsters. Some of the tips include:

  • Remain calm and try getting as much information as you can from the caller. If they claim to be a family relative, ask them to confirm their middle name or the city in which they were born. If they claim to be calling on behalf of a relative in an emergency, ask the caller their name, title and the agency they are with.
  • If the caller gives you this information, inform them that you will be calling the agency to verify and call directory assistance in the city they claim to be calling from.
  • Do not volunteer names of family members or friends.
  • Refuse to wire any money until you have verified that your relative is really the one in an emergency.
  • Do not let the caller work you into a panic because that is how they get you to make rash and impulsive decisions.

Source: Smart Seniors...Avoid Scams and Fraud