When a scammer called Ohio grandmother Crysta Willis claiming her grandson was in jail and needed $5-thousand for bail, she decided to flip the script on them. Willis, who is part of the Cuyahoga County Scam Squad, knew her grandson was upstairs in his room, so instead of sending money, she engaged the scammer, questioning them and calling out their behavior.
Crysta led the caller on for a bit then flipped the script. “I said 'You're approaching seniors that's frail to get money. How is that OK? He was like ‘This is my job' and I was like, ‘This is your job, scamming? This is how you want to feed your family?' Then I just went off on him."
“He was like, ‘Well you just don't understand, it's hard out there,' "
The scam was one she was very familiar with and followed a common pattern in which callers create urgency by saying a loved one is in trouble and needs money immediately. FBI official Susan Licate says these scams often involve claims of accidents, arrests, or emergencies and are designed to pressure people into acting quickly. She advises people to verify these claims by contacting the family member directly before sending any money.
Officials also encourage reporting these incidents to IC3.gov to help track and address organized scam networks. Licate says reporting helps investigators connect cases across the country, as these scams are more often carried out by groups rather than individuals.
Source: PEOPLE
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