A Message from the Fanwood Police Department
Grandparent scams have been around for a long time. However, scammers are coming up with a new twist based on the coronavirus. COVID-19 grandparent scams are playing on the fears many people have right now, that they might lose a loved one.
Who Is It Targeting: Phone and email users.
What Is It: A grandparent scam is a phishing scam that claims your family member is in trouble.
What Are They After: Scammers are posing as grandchildren who claim they are sick and need money to pay their hospital bills or a loved one is in prison and needs to be bailed out. The information is easily gleaned from social media accounts, giving the caller a name that the person knows to use in their scam. In the current times of the coronavirus, COVID-19 grandparent scams can be particularly compelling.
How You Can Avoid It:
- Never make a payment over the phone to anyone you do not know or were not expecting to hear from.
- Resist the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is.
- If you receive a call like one of these, say that you have to go to the store or bank to secure the money and have them call you back; during that time contact Fanwood Police Department at (908) 322-5000.
