Clever grandma tricks scammer who tried to swindle her out of $8,000: ‘I usually hang up’
A quick-thinking grandmother from Long Island turned the tables on a suspected elder scammer after he called her up last week and pretended to be her grandson in desperate need of bail money following a DUI arrest.
“I knew he was a real scammer. I just knew he wasn’t going to scam me,” Jean told CBS2.
Thursday morning Jean received a phone call from someone claiming to be her grandson. They said they had been arrested and they were in jail.
“The caller told his ‘grandmother’ that he was driving while intoxicated and was involved in an accident in which a woman was hurt, resulting in his arrest, reported News 12.
But all of Jean’s seven grandchildren are either in elementary or middle school, and none of them drives, according to Newsday.
A short time later, the 73-year-old grandmother got a second call from another man claiming to be her grandson’s lawyer, Matt Levine, and asking her for $8,000 towards her jailed grandson’s bail.
Then, a third call came in from yet another man identifying himself as Jean’s grandson’s bail bondman, who informed the woman that he was in the area of her home in Seaford to collect the bail money.
Jean contacted the police, who showed up at her house and waited for the suspect to arrive to collect the money for “bail.”
When the man arrived at Jean’s home to collect the money, Jean handed over an envelope. But it was full of paper towels.
The police officers charged at the suspect, and the arrest was caught on Jean’s Ring camera.
Video recorded by a doorbell camera captured the dramatic outcome of Jean’s ploy, showing two Nassau County police officers tackling the suspected s.w.i.n.d.l.e.r to the ground as he turned to leave, carrying an envelope stuffed with cut-up paper towels instead of $8,000 in bail money.
Jean hopes others see her story and learn from it, though it’s always best to contact police if you suspect you’re being scammed.
Way to go, Jean! That scammer messed with the wrong person. Hopefully it’s the last time they try and fool someone.
Please share this story with all your friends and family as a reminder to remain vigilant.
Source:en.newsner.com, dailymail.co.uk
