Scammers make me sick!!

My grandmother is 89, and two years ago was diagnosed with having onset dementia. Her memory is failing and she often forgets recent things, but repeats stories from decades ago. We know that her thought processes can fail and we try as much as we can to help her.

She came VERY close to losing over $4,500 (he wanted her CC info) from a scammer on the phone, because she can't think situations through clearly anymore.

A guy called her saying he was her grandson and when she asked which one, he replied with, "Your youngest!" He never said a name, but he continued on saying he was stuck in Mexico because he got into an accident with a rental car and didn't have insurance. He claimed that he wouldn't be able to leave the country until he paid the rental company $4,600.

She stopped herself from going to bank ONLY because she was worried my mom might be upset if she loaned my brother the money (her youngest grandson). When my mom picked her up to take her to her doctor appointment earlier, my grandmother said, "Your son called me to borrow money. He's stuck in Mexico."

Clearly, she believed the story, but didn't think loaning my brother the money was a good idea. My mom corrected her and let her know that not only was my brother NOT in Mexico, he would have called HER first in that kind of situation. But I really think she would have given out her information if she wasn't going to see my mom that day. She only waited because she was going to see her.

I'm certain this isn't a new scam, but it makes me SICK that people do this to our elderly.

Yeah, I know it's not a new scam but this is the first time this particular one hit my family. My grandfather (her late husband), was mugged in his own home by a scammer. The guy said that he owed him money for a paving job or something and when my grandfather went into the house to get the cash box (to pay the guy for work he never did), he knocked my grandfather down and took the cash.

They stopped keeping cash in the house after that and my grandfather was never the same.

I honestly think that she's starting to be happier in her current mental state. Things just don't touch her the way they used to. It's sad for the rest of us to see her diminish before our eyes though.

My parents actually manage all her bills, but she still has access to the money. I think after this my mom might try to restrict her access a bit. My parents have power of attorney over all her assets though, so at least that's covered. And it's great that Google is finally trying to get rid of scammers.

I think, in the end, she was embarassed she almost fell for it. I'm worried that she might not say anything if she DID fall for something like that. Pride is really important to her. Kind of why she still drives (not to mention the state BMV giving her her license after she failed to pass the eye exam three times, but got it on the fourth).

I completely agree. You hear stories but until it impacts your own family, you just don't realize how horrible it all is. We were lucky.