Hingham Family Wards off 'Grandparent Scam'

An elderly Hingham woman and her son successfully thwarted a phone scam attempt Monday, and Hingham police are warning residents to be on the lookout for similar "grandparent scams."

The 77-year-old South Hingham woman received a call Monday at 12:35 p.m. from a blocked number. The caller asked if he was speaking to the homeowner and said his name was Chris, which is her grandson's name.

"He said he was in an accident last night, arrested for drunk driving, and was brought to the hospital by police," the HPD said in an email alert. "He said he had a broken nose and stitches on his face (an attempt explain why the caller's voice sounds different than her actual grandsons).

"The woman doubted the authenticity of the call because of the blocked caller ID, because her grandson just recently obtained a learners permit and he does not drink. She also stated that his mother keeps regular updates on his whereabouts when he is out. 

"The woman's son, the grandson's father, happened to be visiting her at the time. While on the phone, she asked her son to verify if he was on the phone or in the hospital. He texted his son, who responded that he was home. The woman hung up the phone before she could be asked to wire money or buy a pre-paid debit card.      

"In the 'Grandparent Scam' the caller, would convince the grandparent to wire money to help them get bailed out. The scammer would appeal to their sympathy and plead with them not to tell their parents (to allow them to send the money and not allow them to verify the story).

"The family relayed that their grandson is in the process of applying to almost a dozen colleges and part of the information is the grandparents name, relationship and contact phone. 

"It's also possible that the name and other information could be learned from searching social media sites of family members or friends.

"Please share this information to prevent other seniors from losing their money."