Grandparents

Most grandparents would stop at nothing to help one of their grandchildren in a time of need. The love and concern a grandparent has for their grandchildren is exactly what con-artists are banking on in the recent surge of scams targeting grandparents.

These scammers, posing as a grandchild in need, call seniors and ask that they write a check or wire money to help get them out of trouble or jail. Preying off a grandparent's concern, these professional scammers are very persuasive and have already contacted seniors across the country and have conned some out of thousands of dollars.

A similar scam has recently taken to the web. Scammers are now scouring the social networking site, Facebook, looking for people who either appear to be grandparents or those who are actually making status updates or posting pictures of their grandchildren. Using information they see on their profiles, these con-artists message unsuspecting grandparents telling them that they are in desperate need of help and ask them to wire money.

However, there are ways to avoid being duped by these scammers; here are some tips on how to handle a potentially fraudulent phone call or Facebook message.

1. Be cautious. Every grandparent wants to help their grandchildren, but make sure they understand that if they receive a call, or any type of online communication, asking for money it could be a scam.

2. Confirm the truth. If a grandparent receives a request for money over the phone or on a social networking site, they should verify the situation with the grandchild's parents, even if the grandchild asks them not to.

3. Ask personal questions. To help verify the identity of the caller ask personal questions that only a grandchild or family member can answer.

4. Know their number. Have a comprehensive list of family phone numbers on hand. If a call seems suspicious, immediately call the grandchild in need at their home or on their cell. If the call is from an unfamiliar phone number, doing a Reverse Phone search or Reverse Cell Phone Directory lookup might be a good idea.

5. Call the police. If a call seems like a potential scam, make sure to contact the police immediately with a detailed description of the interaction.