AUGUSTA, Ga. (WFXG) - THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU WARNS A CALL FROM YOUR GRANDCHILD MIGHT NOT ACTUALLY BE YOUR GRANDCHILD. THEY CALL IT THE 'GRANDPARENT' SCAM, AN EMERGENCY SCAM, DESIGNED TO TRICK SENIORS INTO THINKING THEIR GRANDCHILD IS HURT, HAS BEEN ARRESTED OR IS STRANDED AND IN NEED OF MONEY.

JASON BLANKENSHIP Vice President of Development for BBB SAYS STORIES may VARY, BUT THEY’LL request A CRAZY PAYMENT METHOD LIKE A PREPAID DEBIT OR VISA CARD.

“TRADITIONALLY, it's WHERE A GRANDCHILD WOULD CALL AND BE VERY OUT OF SORTS, VERY URGENT, TO KNOCK US OFF OUR AXIS A LITTLE BIT TO PANIC AND NOT THINK RATIONALLY.”

Blankenship SAYS THEY’VE SEEN An UPTICK IN CASES IN RECENT YEARS AND HE’S SEEN CLIENTS SCAMMED OUT OF THOUSANDS. He warns once YOU GIVE THEM THOSE card NUMBERS, IT’S AN INSTANT CASH TRANSFER and THAT MONEY IS GONE. Often times, THEY’LL KEEP ASKING FOR MORE.

“YOU’VE GOT TO STOP, SO THAT YOU CAN THINK RATIONAL AND ALWAYS WHEN SOMEONE TELLS YOU DON’T, THAT’S CODE WORD FOR DO. CHECK IN WITH MOM...FIND THE phone NUMBER YOURSELF AND CALL BACK.”

THESE SCAMS are effective because they GET PEOPLE TO LET THEIR GUARD DOWN. SO, he advises BEing DILIGENT AND ASKing QUESTIONS TO VERIFY THAT PERSON IS REALLY WHO THEY SAY THEY ARE.

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