Rochester, N.Y. - They're called grandparent scams. And believe me, they can happen to you or someone close to you.
Just after Christmas, my own mother learned someone pretending to be her granddaughter got her name added to one of my mom's credit cards.
The woman used the card on a shopping spree in New York City. Buying Coach purses and much more.
It wasn't until my mother received the huge credit card bill that she realized what happened.
She never lost her card or used it on-line. She rarely uses it at all.
The store told my mother that the woman answered security questions proving she was her granddaughter.
I have no idea what the questions were or who this person is. I also have no idea why the store would add anyone to an account without verifying it with the primary card holder.
My mother never received a phone call or letter notifying her that this was done.
I also had no idea how common these types of scams are.
The Better Business Bureau is warning people of these grandparent schemes, which can happen over the phone or in an email.
They say people pretend to be in jail needing bail money , or stuck in a foreign country, in need of money to get home.
That happened to 76-year-old "Ann" in Batavia Monday. She received a call from someone pretending to be her grandson. He said he needed bail money.
"Ann" doesn't want to be identified. She went to the bank, withdrew the cash and attempted to wire it through Western Union at the Tops store in Batavia.
If not for an alert clerk behind the counter, Ann would have lost the money to this scammer.
My mother was scammed without even leaving the house, answering the phone or giving anyone any information about her bank or credit cards.
That's how slick these scammers are. If you have older parents or relatives, watch out for them and remind them never to agree to send cash or any money to anyone, until they check it out.
My mother has now placed fraud alerts on her cards and accounts, but I know this has left her feeling violated.
That shouldn't happen to anyone.
Patrice Walsh, Reporter
