Posted by blame Facebook, a resident of the Adobe-Meadows neighborhood, on Mar 9, 2012 at 9:35 am

Facebook makes it far too easy for crooks to get the personal information that they need for these identity theft crimes. Why doesn't Facebook make their privacy settings more rigorous? Instead, Facebook is constantly loosening security and privacy, making identity theft even easier. Facebook treats their users like merchandise for sale, not like customers to treat fairly.

Posted by George, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Mar 9, 2012 at 12:38 pm

> Thus began a harrowing journey for Griffiths,

> who was taken in by a common scam that preys

> on grandparents' hearts. In the end, Griffiths, 77,

> lost $11,000, she said.

I think that before I called Western Union, I would call my child (my grandchild’s parent) and ask:

1) Is xxx in [where-ever]?

2) Has he/she called you about being in trouble with the police over a drugs charge?

Then, depending on the answers, I’d turn the matter over to my child, and help financially as the situation calls for. Bypassing the parent in matters like this is a very bad idea, and certainly ended up costing this lady a lot of money as a result.

Posted by mutti, a resident of the Adobe-Meadows neighborhood, on Mar 9, 2012 at 7:21 pm

My mother -- age 85 -- got a call like this. She was suspicious, because the claim about being arrested for being drunk was so out of character for her grandson. So she asked the caller for the name of her first husband, knowing that her grandson knew that very well. It was very easy to figure out quickly that this caller was not a relative. It just takes a little scepticism. Maybe she was aware of this kind of thing because it had only been a few months since she "Sent" an e-mail to all her friends saying she was stuck in Wales and needed money to get home. It was sent at 6 a.m on a Monday morning. Her friends who had seen her at church on Sunday morning called her to ask what was up. Her Gmail account password had been hacked.

Posted by Stanley, a resident of the Greendell/Walnut Grove neighborhood, on Mar 10, 2012 at 11:43 pm

I'm sorry to hear about these scams targeted at seniors. And it's sad that even kins do the same to their elders. Just see what money can do to one relationship to the other.

I've received a few scam calls myself and I know that anybody can be a victim but I believe it's a little harsher for seniors. There's just vulnerable and easily depressed. Besides, the money they have is probably their life's savings and when lost, it'd be difficult to replace or earn again. I have read several cases reported at Web Link and they never stop to disgust me.

Posted by ncphif, a resident of another community, on Mar 28, 2012 at 12:47 pm

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