CLEVELAND — More and more senior citizens are being targeted for scams in Northeast Ohio. The number one most common complaint is imposter scams, but some victims are not seeking help because they’re scared. The big message is that you should report what happened, and there’s support to help you.
Chrysta Willis from Cleveland got an odd phone call.
“And he goes, ‘Well, your grandson was in an accident and it was his fault and his bond is set at $5,000,’” said Willis.
She kept asking the guy questions, but all he wanted was her money.
“He said, ‘Don’t you want to get your grandson out? It’s the weekend. It’s a Friday. You don’t want to leave him in there over the weekend, do you? I was like, 'No, I don’t,'” Willis said.
'EVERY SINGLE DAY'
“We hear about imposter scams every single day,” said Ericka Dilworth, the Cleveland Better Business Bureau’s VP of Operations.
She said the best thing to do is avoid that phone call, but if you do answer, get a call back number, hang up and take a breath.
“They scare you and they want you to think I got to do this right now,” said Dilworth. “They won’t want you to get off that phone. They won’t want you to think about it. They don’t want you to contact somebody and ask some questions.”
OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL: 'WE WILL PROTECT YOU'
She and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said you should also report the scam. Yost said don’t be worried if you fall for a scam that people will think it’s a reflection of your ability to live on your own.
“We actually hear that, and it breaks my heart that people are unwilling to seek justice because they’re afraid of what the system is going to do to them,” said Yost. “We will protect you.”
Dilworth told us, “You want to report it so we can help other people, but we also may be able to help you if you tell us right away.”
So, whatever happened to Willis and that strange phone call? Well, for that, we headed back to the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging or WRAAA. That’s right. We said back to.
HELP IS ALL AROUND YOU
“We are a partner with the Cuyahoga County Scam Squad. We meet every month,” said Willis.
You see, Willis is the Community Outreach Coordinator with WRAAA. She helps seniors be informed about scams. “We just basically educate them,” said Willis. “Give them information on what they need to do if they feel like they’ve gotten defrauded in any form or fashion.”
During the scam call, her grandson was just upstairs. She knew it was a fake call. She ended up telling off the scammer, but, more importantly, she’s telling everyone help is all around you.
“We can direct them to any organization they need to get to, to get the help that they need,” said Willis. “That’s a beautiful thing.”
Here are some important links to report a scam:
