Scammers Stole Millions From Elderly People By Posing As Their Grandkids

Thirteen individuals from the Dominican Republic have been charged in a sophisticated fraud scheme that targeted over 400 grandparents in the United States, primarily in Massachusetts. The scam defrauded victims of a total of $5 million by impersonating their grandchildren in distress, federal prosecutors announced on Tuesday (August 12).

The accused operated organized call centers in the Dominican Republic, where they employed "openers" to call victims, posing as grandchildren in emergencies such as car accidents or arrests. "Closers" then pretended to be lawyers demanding money to resolve these fake emergencies. The scam often involved multiple calls to the same victims, with claims of further emergencies to extract more money.

The scheme also involved "runners" who collected money from victims, and rideshare drivers unknowingly used as "mules" to transport the funds. Leah B. Foley, United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts, stated, "These defendants ran a sophisticated criminal enterprise... Their goal was to trick our parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends into handing over their life savings under false pretenses."

Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, the alleged mastermind, referred to potential new victims as "fresh meat" and reportedly used the stolen money to fund a lavish lifestyle. Nine suspects have been arrested, including two already in custody, while four remain at large in the United States and the Dominican Republic.

Authorities urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim to file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.