Lincoln County officials say a Gleason woman was stopped from being scammed out of $8,000 last week, when a bank teller noticed the check she was trying to cash was fake and contacted police.
The elderly woman was contacted by a scammer on a social media site who became her friend over time. He then asked the woman to open up a bank account at a local bank, and instructed her to cash a check and wire the money to relatives in Georgia who were in trouble. Officials say it’s a common scam that targets the elderly, who may have difficulty spotting phony checks or bills.
Commonly called ‘Grandma Scams’, scammers also call up the elderly claiming to be grandchildren on in trouble while on holiday and ask for money to be wired. You can help your grandparents from being targeted by these scams by being careful not to talk about your vacation plans on social media.
WSAU