Letter to the editor: Be wary of scammers wanting to take your money

I recently reported a scam to the Wyoming Attorney General’s office. I was told to share the information in any way I could, so I am contacting you.

This scam happened in Riverton, but I am hearing it happen all over the country. This scam happened to my 80 year old mother and the scammers are professionals at what they do.

My mother received a phone call from her “grandson” who had been in an accident, broke his nose and needed money for insurance or he wouldn’t have to stay in jail. Please wire money to him immediately. Don’t call the parents because he wanted to tell them himself.

This “grandson” did sound like her grandson so she was momentarily fooled. However, she did call his parents, and we were able to confirm that it was a scam. We were able to locate him, and he had not been in an accident.

The scammers seem to be getting much of their information from social websites like Facebook, so more information is out there to sound convincing. Be wary of these calls, be sure you verify that your loved one is indeed in trouble and contact local authorities before sending any kind of money.

My mother saw many red flags even while her emotions were in overdrive. She had recently read of this scam in her local newspaper, that is why she was able to overcome the emotions and call to verify that her grandson was indeed in fine shape.

Thank you for your time on this. I hope you have a place to put in your papers to make the community aware of a very harmful scam coming around again.

Share on Facebook