I greet woeful whiners who often post to these boards about being prey to "internet/online" scams with zero sympathy. Victims are too often more foolish than beguiled; more fleeced in fellowship than bamboozled in beatitude.
My cynicism is well earned. I was 10yrs old when I played hooky from Father Brown's "Boyhood Biblicism" class and excitedly followed a circus caravan's trail of sweet horse droppings, convinced that I would be able to pat Pegasus himself. Alas, all I gained was a good sniff of a horse's a**s!
But this old scam , upgraded with new AI technology, making the rounds again is frightening. So much so that AARP(American Association for Retired People is warning seniors especially about it. And I think it is worth posting about here, on 50plus.
It is called the Grandparent Scam!
You can read all about it here. https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/ ... arios.html.
Imagine you getting a call from your teenage grand child, desperate and in trouble. I bet you will not be able to sleep. It is very easy and forgivable to fall victim to this scam. And it is made even more frightening because with AI technology, they can fabricate and project convincing images of a grand child onto your smart phone or I-Pad or Laptop, smart TV or simple voice phone.
You may never run across this scam or get that 'call'. But just in case be aware and be prepared. Maybe start with devising "passwords/safecodes" with your family and intimate friends. It can happen.
My cynicism is well earned. I was 10yrs old when I played hooky from Father Brown's "Boyhood Biblicism" class and excitedly followed a circus caravan's trail of sweet horse droppings, convinced that I would be able to pat Pegasus himself. Alas, all I gained was a good sniff of a horse's a**s!
But this old scam , upgraded with new AI technology, making the rounds again is frightening. So much so that AARP(American Association for Retired People is warning seniors especially about it. And I think it is worth posting about here, on 50plus.
It is called the Grandparent Scam!
You can read all about it here. https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/ ... arios.html.
Imagine you getting a call from your teenage grand child, desperate and in trouble. I bet you will not be able to sleep. It is very easy and forgivable to fall victim to this scam. And it is made even more frightening because with AI technology, they can fabricate and project convincing images of a grand child onto your smart phone or I-Pad or Laptop, smart TV or simple voice phone.
You may never run across this scam or get that 'call'. But just in case be aware and be prepared. Maybe start with devising "passwords/safecodes" with your family and intimate friends. It can happen.
