Older adults are still being conned by the grandparent scam. Despite media coverage and posts by police departments advising people of these scams, older men and women still get conned. One of the reasons is that the scam is so convincing. Technology is making it easy for scammers to pull off the scam.
Online Voice Duplication Software
An older woman showed up at her bank in tears. Her grandson had been arrested for hitting a pregnant woman and her child. He was going to go to jail where the police detective warned the grandmother he would get beaten up because he was a child killer. The woman spoke to her grandson when the detective put him on the line. It sounded just like him.
Online software companies like Lyrebird offer software that allows the user to duplicate someone’s voice. All it takes is a few seconds of the software listening to a voice file. It can emulate that person’s voice, tone, and speaking habits. Scammers can get the voice files from online videos that are posted publicly or by calling and copying a personalized voicemail message.
Scammers Do Their Homework
Sites like White Pages and My Life make a lot of information available. They give your age, address, phone numbers, emails, and family connections. Add social media profiles that are shared publicly, and scammers can get a lot of information. The profile picture of you on vacation, pictures you were tagged in during a night out, and posts you share publicly rather than to only friends are easy for scammers to access.
With this information, a scammer can build convincing stories. Once it’s known that person A is your daughter and that person B is your mother, there’s the connection the scammer needs. The scammer can call person B to say that person A, who is away at X college, was arrested, charged with a crime, in an accident, or some other reason money must be sent immediately.
Urgency and Emotion Are Pushed
The scammer will insist that urgency is required. A lot of guilt is placed on the person that answers the phone. “If you don’t send this month within the hour, your grandchild will suffer dearly.” The urgency and attack on the emotions often convince seniors.
Use a Family Phrase
Come up with a family phrase that only family members know. Make it something hard to guess but easy for the family to remember. For example, Aunt Edna always brought oyster stuffing to Thanksgiving thinking everyone loved it. The truth is everyone hated it. The phrase “Aunt Edna’s Thanksgiving Stuffing” could be your family phrase.
If a scam call comes in, ask the caller for the family phrase. The scammer won’t know it and will hang up.
Arrange elderly care services so that your parents aren’t alone. If they have companionship with regular caregiver visits, they’ll be less likely to take a call. Learn more by calling an elderly care representative.
If You Or An Aging Loved One Are Considering Hiring Elder Care in Pinellas Park, FL, Please Contact The Caring Staff At Assisting Hands Home Care Today! 727-748-4211.
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Becky Moultrie is Owner and Administrator of Assisting Hands Home Care Serving Pinellas. Guided by a motto to Do Good with Love, she’s well positioned to do just that at Assisting Hands. She has a passion for helping families keep seniors and those who are diabled happy and healthy at home. She serves on a number of boards in Pinellas County including the Pinellas Park Gateway Chamber and Better Living Seniors (BLS), leading the Membership Committee. Annually, she hosts a Silver Santa Party, collecting donations for nearly 100 low income seniors in the county. She attends Blessed Sacrament Church, Seminole where she is an Ascribed Member of the Rosminian Order. When not busy Doing Good in the community, Becky is at home with her husband David & their 4 children, tending to their beehives and digging in the garden.
