Two Florida Men Plead Guilty in ‘Grandparent Scheme’ That Victimized NE Ohioans for $400,000

CLEVELAND, Ohio (News talk 1480 WHBC) – It’s good to know they do catch some of these guys.

The U.S Attorneys Office in Cleveland says two Florida men in their 20s pleaded Monday to charges related to the operation of a “Grandparent Scam”, ripping off elderly northeast Ohioans of nearly $400,000.

It’s the familiar scheme where one of the men called a victim pretending to be a younger relative in need of bail money.

The other man was the “courier” who picked up the cash.

There is a National Elder Fraud Hotline up and running now.

Here’s more on that from a U.S. Attorney’s news release:

If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is standing by at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).

This U.S. Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps.

Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals on a case-by-case basis.

Reporting is the first step.

Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses.

The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. eastern time.

English, Spanish and other languages are available.