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cOmmUNIcaTOR Delaware County’s Bimonthly Guide to Aging Services
V OlUmE 21 NO. 4
www.growingolder.org
website (http://www.ohioattorney general.gov/), the grandparent scam involves con artists posing as grandchildren. The website states “they may call and say, ‘Hi Grandma’ or ‘Hi Grandpa,’ then make up a story explaining that they are stuck in another country and need you to send money via wire transfer. Of course, any money you send will go to the scammer, not to your real grandchild.” The description is one with which Lucille is all too familiar. “It was on a Saturday morning, and when my phone rang, the caller said my grandson wanted to talk to me Scams against older adults are “Then she left for a minute and when and was in jail in Mexico,” Lucille said. prevalent, but precautions can keep she came back, she said ‘You aren’t “My grandson lives in Phoenix, so I said you from becoming the next victim sending this. This sounds like a scam to ‘What are you doing in jail in Mexico?’ me.’” He said he and a couple buddies decidBy Jeff Robinson It was a scam. Specifically, it’s ed to take a vacation and they were Lucille Hessey knows she was this known as the “grandparent scam,” drinking and had a wreck, and he close. and unfortunately, it’s one of several needed $2,000 to get out of jail.” The Delaware resident was at the that happen frequently to older adults. At the time, Lucille had the presstore counter, writing out the telegram Lucille said she hopes sharing her ence of mind to know that that would accompany the $2,000 she story will prevent others something didn’t was about to wire to her grandson. from becoming vicsound right. Thankfully, the store employee who tims. She even told “That did somewas helping her write the telegram According the voice thing to me. It thought things sounded a little suspito information on on the shocked my whole cious. Attorney phone system.” “She looked at me and said, ‘I General Mike that he did— Lucille Hessey on nearly don’t know about this,’” Hessey said. DeWine’s n’t sound
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JUly / aUgUST 2013 like her grandson. But the voice explained that he’d had two teeth knocked out during the wreck, which made the story a little more convincing. “Then someone who said he was their lawyer came on and told me I needed to send $2,000 to this person in Mexico,” Lucille said. “That’s when I went to the telegraph office.” Lucille knows she nearly lost $2,000 to a total stranger. She credits the store employee for helping her make a wise decision, and said when she returned home the first thing she did was call her grandson. “He was home, and when I told him what happened, he said if he ever did something like that, I should just leave him in jail,” Lucille said. The incident happened to Lucille a few months ago, but when she talks about it she still gets upset. “That did something to me. It shocked my whole system,” she said. “On the Monday after it happened, I was taken to the emergency room with a bad nosebleed. I was traumatized.” Lucille wants to prevent that same trauma from affecting someone else. She encourages anyone who gets a similar call to look into the situation before sending money, and to keep an
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Bill Sheehy & John Smith – Cherishing Our Veterans . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2 One Million Served . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 8 Trace Your Family Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10 Dementia: The Whole Story . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 21 Seniors Shine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 25
Center for Older Adults • 800 Cheshire Road • Delaware, OH 43015 Phone: 740-363-6677 • www.growingolder.org