82-year-old woman says scammers said her grandson needed money after car accident
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Glymouth Ruddock, 82, loves her grandson. On Wednesday morning, she received a call from someone saying he needed $3,000 because he had been involved in a wreck.
"It sounded just like his voice, and when he said he was in trouble, how could I say no?" said Mrs. Ruddock.
Then, she received a second call from a man who told her to purchase $3,000 in gift cards.
"He told me Home Depot, Nordstrom's, stores like that," she said.
She purchased $2,000 in Best Buy cards, and called a phone number in New Jersey and gave the activation codes.
"He called back and said I still needed to send $1,000. I was driving to Walgreen's when I felt something didn't seem right. I called my son, and said 'You don't have to tell me. My grandson is with you and he's alright,'" she said. "I knew then I had been scammed."
Police are putting out warnings that the scam that preys on people's fear that a family member is in trouble is going around, again.
Often, the scammers request Green Dot cash cards be purchased. Now, gift cards are being requested. They can be used online without the card being presented.
"I tried to freeze the cards," Mrs. Ruddock said, "but I was told there was no way to do that. One still had credit remaining on it, but they wouldn't freeze it, and police said there was nothing that could be done."
"I just want people to know this could be happening right now, and I don't want anyone to go through what I have," she said.
