Scammers in the Spotlight

The phone rings and you answer.

"Grandma, I'm in jail!"

The voice on the other line sounds familiar, but you can't pinpoint which one of your grandsons it is. Mark? Chris? Tyler?

You go with Chris.

"Chris, honey, what happened?"

He says he needs $1,500 bail, and you breathe a sigh of relief because you guessed correctly which grandson it is.

Except it's not Chris, and the man on the line isn't in jail, much less in your family. He's a scammer who makes a living preying on the sympathies of a "more giving generation" of seniors in the Rancho Bernardo community.

"They'll try to find that one thing inside you that makes you say, 'Wow, I want to give to them'," San Diego police Officer Susan Steffen said Tuesday during a presentation about senior scams at Casa de las Campanas put on by the RB Community Council's Public Safety Committee.

The residential retirement community was host to one in a series of senior scams presentations in RB as police and community members push back against thieves, frauds and burglars.

"Everybody—including myself—can be scammed," said Steffen, a 21-year veteran of the San Diego Police Department who now serves as the Community Relations Officer for the Northeastern Division, which encompasses RB.

Several dozen Casa residents attended Tuesday's presentation, where they watched short videos about senior scams and had the chance to ask questions about how to protect themselves. [One of the presented videos, which adds a bit of humor to the issue, is attached to this story.]

Casa de las Campanas residents have lost tens of thousands of dollars to scammers, said Jan Wischnia, Casa's director of social services.

Steffen said the family member phone call described above is the most prevalent scam in RB, though certain areas such as Seven Oaks have been faced with door-to-door solicitors for fake organizations and charities.

Once scammers get money out of residents—such as wired "bail" money—the crooks will sell the person's name and phone number to other defrauders as an easy target, Steffen said.

When residents offer up the name of a relative, it gives the scammer an easy way to feign legitimacy by pretending to be the named individual, Steffen said.

The phone call trick is one of the old scams, and more people are becoming aware of it, the officer said. That means it's time for a new trick to spread, but what that is she can't say.

"I can't even tell you the next one because I don't know it yet," Steffen said.

One scam that affects old and young is the placement of skimming devices on ATMs that grab credit and debit card numbers, and cameras that can capture customers entering their PINs. A man recently was arrested for allegedly installing a skimming device at a Rancho Peñasquitos Chase Bank and stealing money from customers, which Steffen addressed in her presentation.

One resident wondered why banks, knowing about this scam, don't monitor their ATMs more often. Steffen said it's impossible for banks to keep watch 24-7, especially when the devices can be installed for mere hours and then removed without anyone noticing. Customers should watch out for extra equipment on ATMs, such as long pieces extending the area through which the card is swiped, and shield their fingers as they enter their PINs.

Wischnia, conveying the advice of a Casa resident's relative, said seniors should make sure they have another person come with them whenever they are talking to someone about signing contracts. Some people, for example, purchase funeral plans that end up costing them more than they expected because they were taken advantage of, she said.

Steffen also described a scam where someone calls to say the resident has won the lottery and must send money to claim the prize. The caller may also ask to have a check cashed, saying the resident can keep some of the money, she said. Once residents cash the check they will receive the money from the bank but will later have the money withdrawn from their account when the check doesn't clear, she said.

Steffen added that residents should never give out personal information, such as social security numbers, over the phone to people they don't know. Most legitimate organizations will not call and solicit donations, either, she said.

While residents may be embarrassed about falling victim to a scammer, it's important for them to report it so police are aware, Steffen said. They also should talk with one another if they aren't sure about the legitimacy of a phone call or solicitation.

Another scams presentation, with special information about door-to-door solicitors, is scheduled for 1 p.m. Aug. 31 at the Seven Oaks Community Center.

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