Often times we give people the benefit of the doubt. So when our phone rings we don’t immediately assume it’s someone wanting to cause us harm.
There are many people out there that call up strangers to try and scam them out of money. Sadly, the elderly are often preyed upon when it comes to scams, just like in the story below.
Scamming others
A scam, also known as a “confidence trick,” is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their trust. Unfortunately, they happen every day, and to people all over.
One of the most common examples of a scam is the “grandparent scam.” As its name implies, grandparents (elderly folks) are the targets.
How it happens
According to AARP, formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons, grandparent scams usually go something like,
“The victim gets a call from someone posing as his or her grandchild. This person explains, in a frantic-sounding voice, that he or she is in trouble: There’s been an accident, or an arrest, or a robbery.”
A vigilant UPS worker
In a news report, one UPS store worker saved a scam victim.
Thousands of dollars
The swindle nearly robbed thousands of dollars from a Mount Juliet man in Tennessee.
An elderly man was about to send $4,000 to someone who claimed a family member was in trouble. Luckily, a local business owner intervened.
You despise seeing people fall for these types of con games. Sadly though, it was on the verge of happening on a Monday afternoon.
There was an elderly gentleman that went into the Mt. Juliet Road UPS Store.
It started with a simple conversation
Fortunately, Myro Kuzmyn, the store owner, was at the register and struck up a conversation with the senior.
He inquired of the elderly gentleman (who was in his eighties) on what he was sending and where it was going.
Myro informed News4 WSMV Nashville that he had “very specific instructions.” They covered “what to say, how to ship the money, and when it should arrive.”
Not adding up
Myro recalled that,
“When I asked the customer if he knew this individual, he kind of gave it a little pause, and also said ‘not quite.’ I had this uneasy feeling about the transaction.”
“It just didn’t make sense to me,” Myro stated confidently.
Since Myro was concerned that it might be a scam, he called the police.
And it turns out, he was correct!
A scammer pretended to be an attorney and claimed that a family member was in jail.
Captain Tyler Chandler of Mt. Juliet Police told News4 WSMV Nashville,
“Of course, a man at this age, he wanted to help a family member and immediately wanted to send the cash. Luckily, Myro stepped in and prevented the elderly gentleman from becoming a victim.”
Something was amiss
The UPS store owner points out that the incident had three warning signs.
The first is that the package did not appear to be a “document,” as the man had claimed. The senior also had no idea who the package was going to.
Lastly, it was required that it arrive the next morning, exactly at eight o’clock.
It’s critical to be cautious every time.
Tips from AARP to avoid being scammed
“Don’t engage with the caller or reply to a text.”
“Contact your grandchild or another family member to check the story out.”
“Resist the urge to act immediately no matter how dramatic the story.”
They mentioned that scammers will almost certainly ask you to provide gift card information, wire money, or send cash. Because they are difficult to trace, they preferred those payment methods.
“If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.”
More information is available on the AARP website.
Watch the video below to learn more about this incredible story. Thanks to the UPS employee, he saved a man from being scammed!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family!
Sources: YouTube – News4 WSMV Nashville, Wikipedia – Grandparent scam, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
