'Granny Scam' Comes to Rye

They call it the “Granny Scam.” It is a rip-off scheme taking place across the nation that targets the elderly. Rye Manor’s Annie Budd, 91, was almost one of the latest victims.

The scheme has been played out in much the same way every time. It began with a phone call, allegedly from her grandson, Ian.

“Grammy, this is Ian," said the caller. "I’ve been in accident, and I don’t want my parents to know because I don’t want to worry them, but I need your help for medical bills right away.” 

“What happened, Ian?” Ms. Budd remembers saying.

“I was in an automobile accident, and I need $3,500 wired to this account number fast, with another $300 to cover the wiring expenses,” the voice said.

“You need $3,800?” Ms. Budd asked.

“Yes, gramma, and I need it fast, but don’t tell mommy and daddy,” came the response. “I don’t want to frighten them.”

“You don’t sound like yourself, Ian, this doesn’t sound like you,” said Ms. Budd.

“That’s because I was hurt and my lips and nose are swollen, but don’t worry, I’m going to be all right, it’s just that I need the money,” the caller said.

Ms. Budd was in a quandary as to what to do next. She tried to call her daughter, Laurie Chabot, to see whether she had heard from Ian. But Laurie was in a meeting and her cell phone was turned off.

Next Ms. Budd tried reaching Laurie’s husband, a surgeon, but he was operating and unavailable. And the caller said time was of the essence. So Ms. Budd threw caution to the winds, went to her bank, withdrew the $3800 and went to Western Union to wire the funds Ian requested to the account number he had given her.  

But the Western Union clerk said the story sounded suspicious. He called his supervisor, who alerted Ms. Budd that it sounded like one of the so-called “Granny Scams” going around.  He urged her to report what was happening to the Rye Police.

That’s what she did.

Rye Detective Lieutenant Joseph Verille went over the information and confirmed the “Grammy Scam.”

“Anytime someone asks for money over the phone, and then requests that you not tell anyone automatically should raise warning signals,” Verille said. “Any call that comes in with a blocked number is another red flag. And anybody who doesn’t give you a number so you can call back and verify the story obviously has something to hide.

“I can understand the impulse to want to help a relative seemingly in need. But be wary of such phone calls. Always ask for a call back number to verify the story. And if none is given, refer the matter to the police,"instructed Lt. Verille.

Ms. Budd also called Verizon, her phone provider, and was immediately put through to the Fraud Bureau. Verizon was on to the scammers and tracking them down she was told.  Her call originated in Canada and she was one of the latest area senior citizens to receive such a call.

Budd was so concerned that she alerted her senior citizens’ meeting group at a recent meeting at the Rye Recreation Department. Two of the members told her they had received similarly suspicious phone calls, but had hung up on the caller and not reported the incident to the police.

That night, another member of the Rye Rec group told Budd  she had received a similar call about an injured relative that afternoon who needed cash wired to him. She hung up because she had coincidentally talked to that relative in Boston very recently.

“So those scam attempts involving the elderly are happening, not just to me, but to others in Rye as well as nationally,” said Ms. Budd. “I’d like Patch to make the ‘Granny Scam’ ploy known to Patch readers so they will  be on the alert and aware of what is going on. And advise them to report all such phone calls to the police and the phone company so they can track down the scammers.”

Hopefully we can help nip those area scam calls in the bud thanks to Annie Budd.