Metro Atlanta
Metro Atlanta

Cobb cops warn of phone scam with crooks pretending to be grandkids

Channel 2's Rikki Klaus spoke with the victim's daughter who first realized the person calling her mother was a scammer.
By Ben Brasch
Feb 22, 2018

Most grandparents love calls from their grandchildren, and scammers know it.

Police in Cobb County are warning about a trick aimed at seniors.

Scammers call seniors acting as their grandchildren claiming to be in jail and needing bail money, cops said.

The ne’er-do-wells nag folks to send funds and/or give account information to prepaid debit cards.

READ | 10 financial scams targeting seniors and how to avoid them

READ | Scam alert: Cobb officials warn of a new utility fraud scheme

READ | Topgolf-like facility set for Marietta after city OKs $9.5M land sale

Cops suggested that if you receive a call from someone claiming to be a friend or relative in jail needing bail money, don’t send the money right away. Instead, verify with the arresting agency and or others who know the person.

According to the most recent U.S. Census data from 2010, about 13½ percent of Cobb's  population was age 60 or older.

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About the Author

Ben Brasch is the reporter tasked with keeping Fulton County government accountable. The Florida native moved to Atlanta for a job with The AJC. If there's something important to you going on in Fulton, he wants to know about it. Help him better metro Atlanta by dropping a line, anonymously or otherwise.

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