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The 73-year-old grandmother who only wanted to be known by her first name, Jean, was deceived when she received an odd phone call from her “grandson” on Thursday.The man on the phone requested her help in leaving after being caught for drunk driving. However, Jean doesn’t have a driving grandson.
At that point, the former Seaford, New York, 911 operator knew the man was attempting to scam her.Jean said CBS2 in a television appearance, “I realized he was a true scam artist. I just had a gut feeling that he wouldn’t scam me.
Photo Credits – CBS
Jean chose to pursue the caller rather than hanging up in order to prevent him from possibly deceiving others.
The Nassau County Police Department stated that after speaking to one individual who identified himself as her grandson’s lawyer and who informed her that bail would cost $8,000, Jean also spoke to another man who identified himself as a bail bondsman who was nearby and could pick up the cash.
Jean claimed, “I told him I had the money in the home,” and invited him to come get it. “He won’t fall for that, I thought. He did, however, fall for that bait and switch “She told CBS2.
As she waited, Jean requested the cops to arrive quickly while packing an envelope with paper towels.
Cops were preparing to arrest the thief when one of the suspected con artists showed up to Jean’s house to collect the envelope that he thought contained $8,000 from her. Officers detained him on her yard as she watched from her front porch.
According to the police report, 28-year-old Joshua Estrella Gomez was detained and accused of attempting to commit grand larceny. On February 3, he is due to show up in court.
It’s unclear if Gomez has taken a stand on the accusation or if he’s hired a lawyer to represent him.
Not everyone is as lucky as Jean, who managed to catch Gomez in a lie. FBI statistics show that every year, millions of Americans become victims of elder scam. Since they “tend to be trustworthy and polite,” have money saved up, frequently own a property in their own, and have decent credit, seniors are more frequently the target of crimes, the FBI cautions.
“Gotcha!” is how I feel.” Regarding the situation on Thursday, Jean says she hopes other people may take something positive out from it. “So many people fall for this, and you never hear about it until they’ve lost $8,000 on the other end.”
Following Gomez’s arrest, Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder tweeted, “Please take time to speak to your elderly parents, grandparents, or neighbors about these frauds.” If in doubt, dial 911.
