73-Year-Old Grandma From New York Used Wits and Quick Thinking to Help Police Arrest Alleged Scammer

Police in New York took down an alleged scam artist with the help of a grandma.

“I knew he was a real scammer,” Jean said. “I just knew he wasn’t going to scam me.”

It started when she said she got a call from someone claiming to need bail money after getting arrested for drunk driving. 

“He starts calling me ‘grandma,’” she explained. “And then I’m like, ‘I don’t have a grandson that drives,’ so I knew it was a scam.”

The former 911 dispatcher says she contacted the local police but kept in touch with the mysterious caller, who she says called her several times, eventually asking for $8,000.

“I told him I had the money in the house,” she said. “And I figured, he’s not going to fall for that. Well, he fell for that hook, line, and sinker.”

When the man came to the house, Jean handed him an envelope filled with paper towels. That’s when the police made the arrest. 

“These individuals sit at home and have nothing else to do but think of a way to take advantage of our elderly,” Nassau County Police Commissioner, Patrick Ryder, said.

Cops say the man was arrested for attempted grand larceny. He was issued a desk appearance ticket and has a court date set for next month. 

Jean says she hopes others will be able to recognize potential scams before it’s too late. 

“So many people fall for this, and you only hear about it on the other end after they’ve lost $8,000,” she said.

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