Houston grandmother scammed out of $2,500, received call from 'granddaughter' in jail
HOUSTON - A Houston area grandmother was scammed out of thousands of dollars by a caller claiming to be her granddaughter.
"The young lady called, she sounded like my granddaughter," said Jessica Green. "It all made sense to me. I was crying like she was."
According to the 80-year-old, the would-be thief claimed to be her granddaughter and was stuck in jail after an accident. The caller then handed the phone to a man who claimed to be an attorney.
"I [asked] how much it was going to cost me to get her out of there," said Green.
The fake attorney told Green she needed to pay $2,500 to get her granddaughter out of jail. Green says she gathered the cash and within hours a scammer drove to her house. The grandmother says she gave the man the cash and he drove off.
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Quickly after giving away the money, Green called her daughter who was at home and unaware of the scam taking place.
Now, the 80-year-old grandmother is behind on her bills and is struggling to make ends meet.
"They keep charging me late fees," said Green. "I don’t [have enough money for rent]. Or, any of my other bills."
In a recent post on Facebook, Harris County Constables for Precinct 5 shared a warning to grandparents about recent scams targeting them.
"The "Grandparent Phone Scam" involves a call from someone who identifies themselves as phoning on behalf of another government agency such as the Harris County Public Defender's Office, saying the senior citizen's grandson has been in a car accident," said the post from Harris County Constables Pct. 5. "The caller claims the Sheriff's Office is holding the grandson in jail and suspects he is at fault for the accident after he admitted to texting and driving."
Authorities say even if you receive a call from a local area code and it appears legitimate, it can still be fake. Make sure to try calling the loved one separately, before giving money to someone.
"Independently contact the relative the con artist is claiming to be or to represent, at a known phone number to verify the details of the story," said the post from Harris County Constable Pct. 5. "Scam artists’ payment method of choice is the wire transfer. Any urgent request to wire money should be treated suspiciously."
Green says a police report has been filed in her case and authorities are actively investigating.
Constable Heap urges senior citizens to take these steps to protect themselves:
- Beware of any urgent solicitation of funds, especially if it is needed to pay for unexpected bills such as bail money, lawyer’s fees or doctor bills.
- Even if the call originates from a local area code and appears legitimate, independently contact the relative the con artist is claiming to be, or to represent, at a known phone number to verify the details of the story. Scam artists’ payment method of choice is the wire transfer. Any urgent request to wire money should be treated suspiciously.
- These scams often call late at night in an attempt to confuse their potential victims.
- If you are a victim of this scam, contact Precinct 5 or your local law enforcement agency immediately.
Constable Heap’s Victims Assistance Unit can help those who are victims of these crimes and many others as well.
This includes information on your rights as a victim, assistance with crime victims' compensation, support in navigating the criminal justice system, information on agencies that support crime victims, and accompaniment to court and medical facilities as requested by law enforcement or victims.
Please contact our Victims Assistance Office for more information at 832-927-1368.