Getting Revenge on a Grandma Scammer

Plus, 7 tips to avoid being a victim.

Welcome to a newsletter themed at the intersection of longevity and wine history. 🍷

I was completely puzzled by a phone call while at work. The voice of a relative, who rarely called me, was laced with frustration.

“Hey Kevin, where are you?”

“I’m at work.”

“Oh, crap.” He hung up.

Later, he revealed what triggered that call. But first, he had to put the kibosh on “the grandma scam” before it got out of hand. A man, impersonating me, called Grandma Kay, telling her “I” was in a bad car accident in Barcelona, Spain, and needed money wired for an operation.

This was in the winter of 2012. Grandma Kay was 91 years old, and here’s the kicker to the scam, telling her: “Don’t tell Mom. I wouldn’t want her to worry.”

Grandma Kay was a little suspicious, and told him, “It doesn’t sound like you, Kevin.”

“Oh, that’s because I broke my nose in the accident,” he said, citing a common script.

“Oh, that’s because I broke my nose in the accident,” the scammer said, citing a common script.

Grandma said she didn’t know how to wire money, so she handed the phone to a relative, who happened to be visiting. The man provided instructions on wiring the money through Western Union.

A few hours later, the poser apparently figured that the transaction was too easy. Therefore, he doubled down and called back asking for more.

This time, my relative didn’t buy it.

“Kevin’ what month were you born?”

“Um, August,” he guessed, which was wrong.

“Nice try!” He hung up.

My family reported the scam to Western Union’s fraud department. Eight years later, an investigation was completed, resulting in Western Union issuing a full refund.

Nevertheless, this scam has grown so common in the past decade that it has become the plot line of a 2024 Hollywood movie called Thelma that has grossed over $12.6 million on a $3 million budget, with a cast of recognizable actors.

How Thelma Gets Revenge

Thelma (available on Hulu), starring Oscar nominee June Squibb, 95, not only sheds light on the problem, it brings joy to the audience as she hops on a scooter, racing across Los Angeles exacting revenge on the crooks who scammed her out of $10,000.

Squibb’s character, Thelma Post, is modeled after the grandmother of Josh Margolin, the movie’s writer/director, who lived through the same scam years ago. Thelma is his first feature film.

It’s also Squibb’s first starring role, but you may recognize her from her many supporting roles over decades. Most prominently, in her 80s, she played a sharp-tongued, no-nonsense wife in Nebraska (2013), earning her an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress.

Thelma, also stars Parker Posey (White Lotus), Clark Gregg (Captain Marvel), well-known British actor Malcolm McDowell, and the late Richard Roundtree (Roots, Desperate Housewives).

The Scam Is Still Prevalent Today

As recently as last month, 25 Canadians were charged with swindling hundreds of American seniors out of more than $21 million through the grandparents scam, according to the US Justice Department. Prosecutors say the scheme targeted seniors in 46 states.

A 14-page indictment, recently unsealed, accuses the group of operating the scheme based out of a network of call centers in the Montreal area, using technological means to make their calls look like they were coming from the U.S.

Tips to Avoid Being a Victim

Here are 7 warning signs and practical advice to help you or family members to prevent from being a victim of the grandparent scam, from the Identity Guard blog.

1. The caller doesn’t identify themselves right away. This is often to hide the fact they don’t know basic information, like the grandson’s name. They may say: “Hi, Grandma, it’s me!” or, “It’s your grandson.”

1. They stress a high level of urgency to make you act without thinking. Preying on your emotions, they hope that you don’t catch any of the red flags.

1. They claim they’ve been in an accident or are in trouble and need money.

2. They say they’re overseas or traveling.

3. They beg you not to tell anyone. They may say, “Please don’t tell Mom and Dad — they’ll be angry.”

1. The call comes late at night. Scammers often call in the middle of the night to take advantage of their victim’s sleepiness

2. The caller tells you that someone else, like a lawyer, will be in touch. Emergency scams often involve a third party to make the story seem more believable.

If you’re new here—hi, I’m Kevin!

I’m the author of 🍷 Rain on the Monte Bello Ridge,🍷 my forthcoming memoir about health, aging and winemaking. (Read the origin story of the book.) 🍇

The Centenarian Playbook is my newsletter, which features:

• Healthy aging/longevity tips and stories from Grandma Kay’s long life.

• Wine history & stories of the Gemello Winery

• Ancestry & family research tips

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