The bad guys had told her she had won the publishing clearing house (or something like that) and that they would be arriving with balloons, flowers and a big check. Then there was some kind of problem with them getting her winning money and they needed a check from her, which they would hold and then give back to her. (Have no idea what excuse they used for that). Several checks later and they had wiped out her bank account. She finally told her kids about it who had her call the police. The people who did this to her have been cashing the checks via a local bank so they are pretty sure they are working in the United States. She figured her money was gone with no way to get it back but the police said for her not to give up hope, that sometimes they do manage to get it back. She told us about it because she didn't want it to happen to us. She's also worried because her address was on the checks. We do live in a pretty secure building but are now being extra careful not to let anyone in we don't know. My question is, have any of your loved ones been approached with something like this and how did they handle it? I'd love to see these people spend the rest of their lives in jail but don't really think the odds are that great.
Wal-Mart cashes checks. Liquor stores cash checks. There multiple ways to cash a check without having a bank account.
1. If she can afford it, suggest she get a post office box, have new checks issued with that address. Or at least have that account closed ASAP and a new one issued.
2. Alert building security to screen for strangers and get ID (although the scammers could be using fake ID); scammers also make "house calls".
A friend moved years ago into a gated community, with security at the gate. Visitors had to present a driver's license, the info on which was copied and I believe stored. I stopped visiting her there as I wasn't going to give anyone except LEOs my driver's license information.
I mention this b/c entry security is just as important as mail monitoring.
3. How was she approached? The PCH scam is usually through the mail.
4. If you want to learn more about scams, use the search function on the toolbar (little eyeglass)next to your avatar; you'll get plenty of other posts on the same issue.
Here's the link to get you started; just click on the posts and be prepared to be startled at the breadth of scams, not just of the elderly.
https://www.agingcare.com/search?term=elderly+scams
5. I would ask the building management to post scam alert notices in the common areas, as well as distributing a flyer to every apartment in the building. Awareness can partially help avoid these financial disasters.
Good luck, to you, your neighbor and the residents of the senior complex.
We only have 35 apartments here so everyone has been warned. So that's done.
We had a guy show up last week who, while I watched from the lobby, buz an apartment. Someone answered but didn't buz him in. He got mad, pounded on the key pad then asked us to open the door for him. No one moved or even talked to him. He started to pound on the door. Police arrived within minutes and arrested him. Went inside and escorted out a young lady who had been visiting and was hiding from the guy (we didn't even know she was in the building). Never hear about what happened after that but we all did what we were told to do so stayed safe. After that people are being even more careful at letting people in they don't know. And even then telling them no as things could have changed and people may no longer want them to come visit.
Another thing they have done for us, if you have cable (I don't, just internet) you can go to a certain channel and see who is buzzing you. Since I don't have cable I usually just tell them I'm on my way down to let them in as all of mine are either UPS, USPS or fedex. If I don't see a uniform I don't open the door. (It's good exercise for me as I live a full football field distance away from the door. Once it was a guy working for Amazon. He said he understood (no uniform) and left it outside the door and got in his car and left. I should tell you, we have a lot of meetings about this kind of thing.
He called her again while driving to the store. I told her to hang up and not answer her phone the rest of the evening.
I finally told her "OK, we'll go to Target." In the mean time, I called another neighbor and asked if she would call Target and tell them she planned to wire 2 checks. I drove slowly so as to arrive at the last moment. I told her to go the manager at the service desk and I would be there after parking the car. My neighbor agreed this was the best way to deal, given her mindset.
We decided (on the fly) to plot this journey so as to shut off all avenues of destruction. Target's manager on duty acknowledged the call from Brenda. He said Target will never cash big checks or send big money orders without carefully asking what it's for. He said this happens all the time, so they are on the lookout.
I developed my own plan and told our neighbor that tomorrow morning I'm pounding on her door and she WILL go to her bank. I told the manager in front of her, that we would ask that her checking account/debit card be closed. On our way to the bank I told her to just go inside and not worry as the employees know how to handle this. By morning she had figured out she was in fact being scammed.
Just so frightening to see this unfold. It's real so we all need to be on the lookout.
1. https://www.washingtonpost.com/crime-law/2019/02/12/william-webster-ex-fbi-cia-director-helps-feds-nab-jamaican-phone-scammer/
Note that the scammer in this case claims to "have seen" the man's wife. Veiled threat? You bet! And the scammer even threatened to shoot the man's wife, adding the element of fear and extortion to his scam.
Other important facts are that the sentencing judge determined that the scammer was engaged in organized crime, and imposed additional time. The RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act) statute was probably applied for the "enhanced" penalty.
This is something for all of us to consider: the element of extortion, or threats, MAY elevate the scam to a RICO level.
And another:
2. LEO turns the tables and scams the IRS scammer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6Rwc8lNn0k
There's also a list of other scams on the right hand side of that same page.