by Esther Cole
As if it isn’t enough punishment to get old. It’s much worse to get old and sick. And it’s terrible to be old and unwary. Innocent, actually.
To be unaware of all the mean-hearted, crooks, young people, who would make victims out of the old, and elderly, and ill, and unwary folk. living alone, and, believing, that all telephone calls must be answered, politely. Or answered. Period.
There is a recurrent scam, afoot, that targets the elderly female. It begins, when you answer the phone, and say, “hello.”
The response you get is “Hi, gramma.”
“Gramma” answers, “Who is this?”
“Your grandson.”
“Which one?”
“The oldest”
“Oh, how are you, dear?”
“Oh, gramma, I’m in big trouble.”
What gramma would not want to jump in and rescue her
grandson?
‘Grandson’ now starts to sniff, and his voice begins to sound teary.
“Oh, gramms, I’m in jail. I was driving and I got hit — I’m OK — but the police said I was responsible. They arrested me. I can’t leave without putting up bail. Please, gramma, can you help me?”
What gramma would be so cold-hearted to ignore a needy grandson?
Grammas just don’t grow that way. Grammas are relatives that are there for their grandsons.
When you read this introduction, it may seem too simple, and most
grammas would understand this is a scam. I believe they do. But there are enough loving grammas, that are taken in, and then, take the money to Western Union, to send to their needy grandson.
My friend Carin’s mother had money in hand at Western Union to send to this “grandson.” The clerk explained the scam and saved her all that money.
I thought that scam was over, until last night, when I answered the phone, and heard this sweet, young male voice say, “Hello, Gramma..”
I answered, “What kind of trouble are you in now?”
That felt pretty good, because this “gramma” had a chance to scam the scammer. And I did. I asked for “grandson” to send me money. I needed a lot of money. Funny, my “grandson” was no longer on the other end of the telephone.
I know, there are dozens of other scams, and scammers, ready to take advantage of people who are kind and generous. Too bad we live in this kind of world, but we do.
So “gramma” be kind to your kin but keep your generosity in your bank account.
More power to the elderly.
