89-year-old woman conned out of ¥9.3 million

When your adult children make big mistakes, they need to clean up after themselves.

My Mom got a call from someone about me being in jail overseas looking for some money. She told him that her son would himself out of any trouble he'd gotten into and hung up. When you live in a town 300+ miles from any big city or international airport, nobody is going to show up at your door.

Scum is the only word to describe these people. Same level as taking advantage of children or the disabled. Thankfully almost every normal person is kind and caring and has the foresight to understand they will be elderly one day.

Losing money like that is sort of like paying taxes and have it spent on war materials.

Poor woman.

I've never understood how people continue to fall for these scams. I do feel bad for the victims. And, I wish the harshest punishment for someone who would do this to an elderly person. But, these scams are well-known in Japan. They have been going on for years. Everybody should be aware of them by now. And, how can someone just hand money to strangers without first checking with the actual relative that is supposed to be in trouble? That part never ceases to amaze me.

Is it bad that I dont really feel too sorry for these people, I mean this is the millionth time. There are annoucments around cities, you should have your "son's" phone number. There are so many ways to prevent this.

...how can someone just hand money to strangers...

I've never understood how people continue to fall for these scams.

Me too. But, as we all now know, there are millions of them stateside.

Correction: Me, neither!

I've never understood how people continue to fall for these scams

Because you don't understand the medical situation. You have never dealt with people who are in mental decline and still hooked up to the world by landline. It could happen to your parents one day and it could happen to you.

Falling for phone scams could be an early sign of dementia

(medical news source)

You have never had to deal with older relatives who were in cognitive decline and still wired to the world by the old landline which is one of the biggest financial risks to seniors who are losing their independence as the days go by.

But, these scams are well-known [ALL OVER THE WORLD]

This is not a Japan thing.

That part never ceases to amaze me

Because you have never experienced having to deal with someone with dementia/Alzheimers and how financially dangerous it is for them to still have a telephone with an open number. If you would (and you may someday) then you will understand after someone takes your money or that of a loved one like taking candy from a baby.

Did she not have her son's phone number?

More than likely she would not remember or have the mental competence to verify. This comes from personal experience. I have also heard the idea of having a secret verbal code to verify that family member is true instead of a scam. The problem is they won't remember because of poor or near non existent short term memory. Again start with the medical situation first then you will understand why this happens

You have never dealt with people who are in mental decline and still hooked up to the world by landline. It could happen to your parents one day and it could happen to you.

Thank you, nishikat. One of my parents was in their declining years, when they were scammed out of money, this did not happen here in Japan, but half a world away. Until their illness, they would have never fallen for such a horrible con. It was a random doorstep call that kicked it all off. They took advantage of the illness and confusion and preyed on an elderly person who didn't have much money to spare, in the first place.

garypen

I've never understood how people continue to fall for these scams.

She is 89, so you can assume that mental acuity is not at its top anymore. No one over 78 should make big decisions alone.

"I've never understood how people continue to fall for these scams."

(translation) I am far TOO CLEVER to fall for a scam.

Lamilly

 The caller didn't know the first name, she gave him a grilling about the details, finally he hung up

She should have played along, and wait for the crooks to turn up at her door.

The caller claiming to be her son told her: “Someone I’m indebted to had money from their contracted job stolen.”

As most of elderly use land-line phone, you'd better record a message on the answering machine. You can be more calm when listening to it. Actually, we do that. It really works! Interesting enough, all of con artists have never recorded their fraudulent messages on it so far. And call your real son and make sure what you heard on the phone is true or not. And last but not least, maintain excellent communication with your family on a daily basis.

Monozuki:

As most of elderly use land-line phone, you'd better record a message on the answering machine. You can be more calm when listening to it. Actually, we do that. It really works! Interesting enough, all of con artists have never recorded their fraudulent messages on it so far. 

... and they never will. The whole scam depends on them getting their hook into the victim without giving it a chance to think. An answering machine keeps the ore ore sagi away.

@Zaphod: Thanks for your feedback. :‑)

This will haunt this woman to the end of her days. They criminals need to be caught and jailed accordingly to remind the what awaits them at the end of theirs...

This will haunt this woman to the end of her days. They criminals need to be caught and jailed accordingly to remind the what awaits them at the end of theirs...

It may not haunt this woman to the end of her days because if she is in a state of dementia, she may not even remember losing the money. This is a case where even the death penalty may be appropriate since these scum have no redeeming qualities. There is no defense of their actions. Think about this, if the criminals were caught and sent to jail, this poor woman would even pay for their time in jail (food, medical, etc.) through her taxes. Save all the taxpayers money, get rid of them. Of course, there needs to be no shadow of a doubt they were guilty.

My mother was in her 80s, and still fully cognizant of the world around her, and even still driving a car. She received one of these telephone calls from someone claiming to be her grandson. My mother asked him his name to which he gave the wrong name. She then hung up the telephone. Even if it was the correct name somehow determined by the scammer, she had other questions that only the family could answer.

In addition, anyone with dementia should have a trusted relative or friend handle the finances.