US$300,000 ‘grandparent scam’ convinced victims that relatives had been arrested, US feds say

The scammers contacted older adults while posing as family members of arrested individuals seeking cash for bail payments, according to a Feb 27 news release from the US Attorney for Rhode Island. — AFP

Three men swindled over a dozen older adults in Rhode Island out of thousands of dollars in a “grandparent scam”, federal officials said. They are going to prison.

The trio contacted older adults in the state, posing as family members of arrested individuals seeking cash for bail payments, according to a Feb 27 news release from the US Attorney for Rhode Island.