And Grandparents for that matter. This has been on my Facebook feed, I'm a member of the parents/Grandparents of Cal Poly Students and just saw that they found this poor 19 yr old dead in the woods here in California. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5255825/Body-missing-college-student-California-park.html I'm wondering if one of the friends had something to do with it...seems a little strange, the whole story. Also seems like a cleaned cut kid with a bright future ahead of him....his poor family!
Then around the time I'm reading this sad story I get a call on my phone. This is the conversation.... Me: Hello Caller: Grandma? Me: who is this? Caller: it's your oldest grandson Me: who are you calling for Caller: Grandma Christine Me: what is your name? Caller: hung up. I realized it was a scam almost immediately even though it sounded like my grandson because they called my home phone. I don't think my oldest grandson even knows that number, plus he would never call me grandma Christine. I called my daughter just in case but she said she read about a scam that was similar and they have just enough info to get you to send money saying they're in trouble.
Crikey...that's a scary one.. how many grandparents would fall for that? ..Often a grandparent might be a little hard of hearing, and not really be able to clarify the voice.. and the person on the other end of the phone says this is your eldest grandson..and immediately the grandparent says ''ooh is that you gary''.. and the deed is set and done there and then..wow, it must work enough times to make it worth it for those scammers..
I probably would have fallen for it if they had called on my cell. The voice was believable and even had a hint of worry in it, like he really needed help.
'The fact that he didn't tell us he was going out tells us he wasn't planning to be gone very long,' she added to KCAL. 'And he left behind his wallet, ID, money, glasses and medications he takes every day.' This sounds strange to me. It sounds like he may have known he was walking into danger.
One scenario that I thinking is that he had a friend who was troubled (Drugs - alcohol) and that friend might have called him asking for help. He seemed like a kid who would help a friend in need.
That is a sad story. AT 19 people are still very impressionable and don't always make the best decisions on what they do and who they associate with. Yes that call was a scam but some could fall for it sadly.
An update and I'm not surprised. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2018/01/13/high-school-friend-arrested-in-death-upenn-student.html
What was the exact scam @Babs Hunt if you recall? I'm just wondering how they knew I had an older grandson and my name was Christine? They could have just guessed the grandson part...whoever it was didn't know my grandsons name though.
https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/info-2016/how-to-beat-grandparent-scam.html Here it is @Chrissy Cross.
Thanks @Babs Hunt ...my conversation would never get that far because I know my grandson knows this grandma doesn't have any money, lol. My grandson has more than I do at this point.
So many older people are fooled though, especially the ones that don't see their grandkids that often and don't know what's going on with them.