35°
November 7, 2009 in City
Scam capitalizes on family bonds
Thousands of dollars gone before grandmother catches on
Rose Alexander, 82, of Spokane was bilked out of $17,000 by someone claiming to be her grandson in a Canadian jail.
(Full-size photo)
As far as crime goes, there is low, there’s downright dirty and then there’s the grandparents scam.
An 82-year-old Spokane woman was bilked out of more than $17,000 of her savings last month by swindlers who persuaded her to wire the money to bail her grandson out of trouble with the law in Canada.
“I felt so stupid,” said Rose Alexander, who was conned by a man pretending to be her adult grandson, Spencer. “But I wanted to help.”
Alexander agreed to speak to the media about her ordeal in hopes that it will help prevent others from becoming victims. …
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spoketucky on November 07 at 11:49 a.m.
This same scam has been reported all over the country.
Where is the AARP when they are really needed.
But seriously, are people that gullible? Why would a grandparent not ask some serious questions about sending that amount of money to someone who is involved in the criminal justice system of another country? How long would it have taken to call his parents to find out if they knew his whereabouts? Please, but stupid is as stupid does and before “society” came about this type of stupidity would have been eliminated naturally.
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