Help! My grandfather just got ripped off for $6k!

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Hello I'm New here! Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 2

Hey Guys,

My 92 y.o. grandfather was just taken for $6k from some jerks who called and pretended to be me! They said that I was in Barcelona and had an emergency car repair and that they needed $2500. Then they called back and requested $3500 to handle a legal emergency. He sent the money by Western Union.

I think the money is gone, but what can we do to hassle/track down these clowns. I would love to make their life miserable.

Thanks for the help,

Gramps' Grandson

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:03 pm

Hiya,

Sorry to hear it Sad

You're right, the cash is gone, and there is approaching zero chance of catching those responsible. You may want to post over at our friends scamwarners.com as there's not much directly baitable in this scam Sad

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:07 pm

Hi gramps_grandson and welcome to Eater, but sorry it is for this reason.

First, please go over to our sister site, ScamWarners, and post up all the information you have about this scammer. Email address used, copies of the emails sent to your grandfather (including the headers), phone numbers, name(s), etc. (You can remove your/your grandfather's person details before posting).

This is will help warn others and the dedicated scam warners over there will help and give the support you and your grandfather need.

As you note, the money is gone. There is no way to get back money once it has been sent and picked up via WU or MG. And there little to no chance they will ever be caught.

So please go over to to ScamWarners and they will take care of you over there. Very Happy

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 8:27 pm

Check with Western Union as you can stop the transfers if the money hasn't yet been picked up. A long shot but worth trying.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 2

Thanks guys. Ive actually been on this site before when I get referred from reddit or digg for funny work you guys have done over the years. Never thought I would be posting here as being connected to a victim. Im just beyond mad about Gramps getting taken advantage of like this. He is so nice and I would love to dish out a beating with straight prejudice on whoever did this, then taunt them while eating a ham sandwich bc you know they are some 3rd world scum and they suffer from hunger pangs constantly.

What is amazing to me is that this came from a phone call he randomly received where the scumbag pretended to actually be me and said I was in trouble in Europe! Can you believe the cojones on these guys!

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:39 pm

^^^^^ Sorry to hear about your Grandpa. Fraudsters try to take advantage of the elderly every chance they get from some home construction scheme services to phone calls like your Grandpa got.

Do go over to Scamwarners as suggested above. Hopefully your Gramps' experience cited over there may help some other older person to not fall into the same trap.

The lads that rip off the elderly are truly pond scum

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:44 pm

I'd say the fact 'they' knew enough basic information about you to use it to extract money from an elderly relative is a bit of a worry. Has any of your personal ID been compromised at all? Just a thought.

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:50 pm

"Third World Scum" is a bit of an extreme and somewhat weird turn of phrase, and forget your prejudices about hunger pangs etc. Internet cafe time and phones costs money, nobody scamming is starving. Nigeria, where the bulk of these scams originate from, may be a poorer country than your own, but it is not all cave dwellings and dust eating, and the majority of Nigerians are very affable, honest people.

This is not a race thing, not a nationality thing, purely a scammer/baiter thing.

Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 10:14 pm

^^^^^^^
Sadly I heard about these before. They were even in the news a couple of times here in Edmonton, Canada. One of the lads calls in and says, "Hi Grand-ma/Grand-pa, this is your grandson. I am in big trouble. I need help!" Often or not the then Grandparent is hit with shock and surprise and it doesn't register that the jackass calling has a different voice. They are concerned that their own grandkids are in trouble...

Despicable as hell. I hate those scams. That is what more or less inspired me to scambait Evil or Very Mad

My recommendation, notify the police. Pass emails, and send notice to scamwarners.com like everyone has suggested.

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