Everyone at some point gets told: Never to talk to strangers. Now everyone needs to remember to not give strangers financial information.
A scam has resurfaced in Holmes Beach designed to take a person’s money to help a relative in need.
It’s been called the “grandma scam.” A person calls claiming to be a grandson, child or other relative. The caller then asks for money to get out of jail or for some other urgent need and insists that the money be sent quickly.
Holmes Beach Police took to social media June 16 to warn residents about the scam, saying the department had received calls from residents who may have been targeted. The department reissued a Better Business Bureau consumer advisory notice listing red flags for such calls: try to recognize the person’s voice who is asking for money via wire transfer or to overnight mail a check or money order.
Anyone who receives such a call should check his or her caller ID to see if the phone number and name of the caller belongs to a relative. If the call is believed to be genuine, call another family member or close friend to confirm the situation before sending money.
“It’s a scam that’s been around for years,” Holmes Beach Police Chief Bill Tokajer said. He went on to say his own family once was targeted by scammers, but they uncovered the ruse with a quick phone call to other relatives.
Residents who believe they’ve been targeted by scammers should report the incident to local law enforcement.