Caller Unknown

Telephone scammers are getting better and better; using fear tactics to elicit irrational and immediate results.  This happened to someone close to me just a few months ago.

It was late night for this victim, after 9 p.m., which for the typical person in their 80s is like 2 a.m. for the rest of us!

The caller claimed they had the victim’s granddaughter and demanded money for her release.  The screams of a teenage girl, in hindsight no doubt a computer simulation, begged their grandparent for help.  The victim responded by leaving the safety of their home to purchase gift cards as had been directed by the caller. They then provided the redemption information for the gift cards to the caller via text.

This took place despite the victim’s calls to their family to confirm the safety of their granddaughter and receipt of reassurances from the family that all was well. The scammer was so convincing that the victim succumbed to the fear and pressure of the situation.

These events are called “spoofer calls” and are specifically targeted at the elderly/grandparent population.  How can this type of crime be avoided?  The simple answer is don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.  But for many reasons this often does not happen and is too simplistic of a solution. 

So, consider these additional tools to help protect your loved ones from falling victim to these sorts of scams:

  • Awareness.  Talking about this scam (and similar events such as people coming to the door regarding roof repairs, etc.) and educating family members will go a long way to calm the nerves of a potential victim.
  • Privacy Settings.  Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms allow for the immediate sharing of photos and connection with loved ones.  But these sites also allow scammers to mine personal information.  Maximize account privacy settings to minimize the potential that a scammer will know who to impersonate.
  • Call Blocking.  By engaging tools to block unknown callers, you can force a scammer to voicemail.  A voicemail will allow the recipient the time to listen to the message and call another family member for help.  Check with your cell provider to identify the security and safety tools available.
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About the Author

Yasmeen S. Khaleel, Esq. is an Executive Committee Member and Chair of Capehart Scatchard's Business & Tax and Wills, Trust & Estates Groups. Ms. Khaleel concentrates her practice in the representation of individuals, business owners, medical, dental and other professionals in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, business succession planning, transactional and tax planning. She routinely handles matters of special needs planning including guardianship applications. Additionally, Ms. Khaleel has experience in complex business, estate and trust litigation matters in conjunction with the Litigation Group.

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