Warning: Grandparent Scam Returns to Tampa Bay Area

Scammers are once again making the rounds attempting to part Tampa Bay area residents from their money.

One of the latest examples comes out of Sarasota where police officers are warning residents the “Grandparent Scam” has returned. A case currently under investigation involved a victim who received a phone call out of the blue. The person on the other end of the line told the victim an arrest had been made involving the victim’s grandson. Following instructions in an effort to help the grandson, the victim deposited $6,000 into an account.

The grandson, however, had not been arrested and that money was gone in the blink of an eye, police said.

Sarasota Police say the scam is an old one. Officers say this advice may help others in avoiding even the most convincing of callers:

• Resist pressure to act quickly
• Contact the family member in question or another relative to determine if the claims are valid
• Do not ever wire money based on a request that is made via email or the phone

The Grandparent Scam isn’t the only one running in the Bay area as of late. An elderly St. Petersburg woman was recently bilked out of $19,000 by two suspects who ran a pigeon drop scam on her, police there say.

To find out more about common scams and how to avoid them, visit the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s website.

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