Woman Falls Victim To ‘Grandma Scam’, Reveals Her Story

By: Mireya Garcia

COLOARADO SPRING- One victim shares her story with NEWSCHANNEL13 after she fell victim to the so-called Grandma Scam.

You think a loved one is hurt and far away. They call you for help and you respond without even a thought. That is what the scammer wants and that is what happened to a woman we will call Betty. “I believed him, and they are so good that it really did sound like my grandson.” Not only did it sound like her 15 year-old grandchild, they even had his name.

The woman’s case is under investigation in another state, so she decided not to use her real name. Betty lost $3800.00; money she was saving for a car. Investigator John Sanagustin of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office tells NEWSCHANNEL13,”They (the scammers) are doing their research, and they are doing it from another country. By the time the money is picked up it is very difficult for us to prosecute those individuals.”

The elderly are the targeted victims. Much like in Betty’s case, the caller claims they are or know their grandchild, that they are hurt or in trouble, and they need money. Typically the scammers are well informed on you and your family. Several individuals are involved in these scams, so you might find yourself talking to someone pretending to be an attorney or a doctor. “You feel so violated. You just want to feel like everyone is honest,” says Betty.

Authorities tell NEWSCHANNEL13 the community should be wary of anyone asking for financial information, even if they sound like a loved one. If you have been victimized, investigators say you should gather as many details as possible, and report the incident, even if you didn’t send any money.

Since March 1st the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office has received at least four grandma scam reports. In all cases the story was similar. It sounded real, urgent, and had several players.