03/30/2026
Scammers everywhere! Our members often take calls where someone has lost money to a scam which could have been avoided with some awareness.
What usually happens with this scam is the bad actor finds details about an elderly person who has grandchildren of adult or near-adult age. Unfortunately, this information is not hard to come by on the internet (especially if the victim's social media accounts are public!) They call the "grandma", and pretend to be the grandson/granddaughter, claiming to have gotten into trouble. They need help - now! They need to pay for a medical bill, or attorney fees, or bail money from jail... or some variant thereof.
They will often insist the transaction is kept a secret. They will insist on payment via an irregular form, such as random gift cards or payment via digital money (CashApp, Apple Pay, etc.) These payments can be very hard to trace, and are almost always irreversible.
Sadly, many Monterey County residents have been victims to this scam. Please let your family know about this scam. If you are ever unsure if a call is a scam, feel free to contact a law enforcement officer via the non-emergency line: (831)755-5111. Our members would much rather help determine the legitimacy of a call than have to document a victim's lost money!
