Relatives in distress
This one is particularly revolting because it takes advantage of personal relationships, taking scams to a whole new level. Targeted people receive a phone call from a so-called police officer or even FBI agent and they are told that one of their close relatives, generally spouse or children, is in trouble.
The scam is also called the grandparent scam and particularly targets seniors who are often more gullible and unsuspecting. “Scammers know all the buttons to push,” says John Breyault, vice president of the National Consumers League. “They may swear the grandparent to secrecy, insist the money is needed right away, and use personal information gleaned from social media to make their pitches sound convincing.”
