I can't understand why people fall for this scam. Why on earth would any company want to be paid in gift cards? How many iTunes do they think a company would need?

I have two stories about this.

We were in line at the bank. The fellow at the counter was withdrawing $400 or so, and in chatting with the teller said he had received a call that he had missed a jury summons and had to pay a fine, by sending a Visa gift card. We couldn’t help but overhear, and I caught the eye of the teller and shook my head in warning. She questioned the gentleman, but he dismissed her concerns, and said he was heading over to the drugstore to buy the gift card. When we got to the counter, we talked about it, and of course the teller can’t do anything but warn the guy, she can’t stop him from withdrawing his own money.

The next time we were in, the teller said he had come back, and told her the drugstore manager told him all about the scam, he didn’t buy the gift card, called the police to report it, and he thanked the teller for trying to warn him. Now, you may see we breached a lot of etiquette here, and we did, but it was all in the interest of helping someone. And the police issued yet another warning to the community about such scams.

My other story is closer to home, and many of us have gotten a version of it. My dear aunt got an email from her good friend, who said she was on vacation but needed to send a gift card code to her niece for a birthday gift, and would Auntie please go by four Sephora gift cards for her, and give her the codes, and even said what drugstore she could buy them at. Auntie did! Then she called her son for help sending the codes, and he told her it was a scam. She called me, and I told her it was a scam. So now she was stuck with cards she was never going to use. I suggested she ask her DIL to sell them on a local group.

My aunt is a highly intelligent, critical thinker, but she will also do anything for her friends and family, and the person who hacked her friend‘s email had found a willing victim.

I had several talks with my dad about the scams, and yet, I was lucky to be there the day he answered the phone, on speaker, and stopped the “grandparent scam” (“hi, grandpa, it’s your favorite grandson!”. “Kyle?” “Yeah, it’s Kyle! Say, grandpa, I’m in a bit of a jam and if I tell my dad . . . “) I let it go on for a bit, then I hung up the phone. I reminded Dad about the scam, and sent him a notice we’d gotten from AARP about it. Well, several months later, it happened again! This time I ended the call in seconds, and reminded Dad again.

I still get calls saying the Police department needs MY money. The guy has a deep authoritative voice. He actually calls asking for ME by name. I have ripped him a line of 4 letter words.....it will stop for a few weeks ....then starts back up.

It's a scam-a-thon out there! Everyone be careful.

I used to work for Shoppers Drug Mart, and our cash registers tell us to ask the customer what the cards are to be used for, especially high amounts of Visa/Mastercard/AmEx and some gaming cards. The location I worked at stopped MANY customers from making high purchases. If the customer doesn't listen to us, we keep them there and call the police and put the customer on the phone once we explain the situation. We had one 16 year old student who ran out of class one day because he got a text from the IRS (in Canada we use CRA) telling him that if a bill wasn't paid with some gaming cards, his family would be deported. I worked in a HIGH immigrant neighbourhood so we saw these scams often. And not just immigrant seniors. I had one customer, white about 50 years old no accent. He was asking me about buying $1000 worth of goggle cards. After talking to him for a few minutes of me saying "there's no such thing as a goggle card" then realizing he meant "google cards", I said "who is calling you and what do they say you need to buy them for". He had already given them his freaking VISA card##. I told him first things first: go to the bank and cancel your Visa. Then go to the police station and file a report. The guy had no idea he was being scammed, and IMO was young enough to know better.

It's really hard to explain to many immigrants, in Canada we do not pay ANY bills, especially taxes, with a gift card. And CRA will NEVER phone you, email you, or send you a letter. From personal experience, they ring your doorbell. And they look scary as hell... lol (my husband owed a ton of taxes many many moons ago...).

Our girls in the post office once stopped a young couple with a baby from sending $1500 to another country for a damage deposit on a house, site unseen! They were probably early 20's if that. The girls flat out refused to wire the money over and warned the couple to never EVER send money to someone you've never met especially for a house you've never seen. They thanked the girls for their help.

Other than prosecuting the perpetrators when possible, I'm not sure anything can be done to protect people who are vulnerable targets, often because of cognitive impairment or a lack of smarts. Such people will sadly be taken advantage of by strangers and friends and family alike.

I have had the grandson thing tried with me. When he heard my husband state in the background that we did not have a grandson it was switched to nephew.

For the younger group the scam is most frequently either someone going to jail in another country, car accident and unless the money is there immediately they will go to jail, or rent to prevent eviction.

Lone Jack you have to do what I did with some family members who used my mother as their bank. Tell your son the bank is closed as many times as needed. Of course there will be times that it will be necessary. Poor planning not necessary. Unforeseen problems are on a case by case review.

My then probably 80 something mother got the grandson call. She went along with them for a while. I'm sure they thought they had a live one. Then she finally tells them they picked the wrong person, she was not falling for it and she didn't even have any grandsons!

I think it is good that a bank teller would question non routine large withdraws of money. The same for gift cards with a cashier. We paid cash for our camp and when we went to the bank for a check she questioned why we wanted the money. We were not offended at all, because we knew she had our best interest at heart. We told her why we wanted it and it was not a scam and thanked her.

My parents both 86 have Sunday brunch with a group of their peers and that is one of the main subjects of conversation "What phone scam did you get this week"!! My mom got the grandson call with my son sitting in her apartment. I read just this morning about convicts getting cell phones and using them to make these scams work. They can even make people believe the police are calling them, telling them they will be arrested or fined for not showing up for JURY DUTY!! It's curious how when we read these things they sound so implausible but when you are on the other end of a phone call so many believe!!

When buying real estate or other big ticket items, it's much safer and certain to move money (as into escrow) using a wire transfer or ACH rather than by check. These are most easily done online or by phone, not by going into a branch.

I don't mind a bank confirming my identify, that's fine. If one tried to ask me the reason for a disbursement, I'd probably give them a made up answer and then close any and all accounts at the earliest opportunity. I choose banks and other financial institutions for my convenience, for transactions I want to do, not to be my mother.

In the story I mentioned, it was the customer being chatty and talking his reason for the withdrawal, and his age, that sent up red flags. The teller didn’t grill him on his reasons, but gently suggested that it was unusual for the county to inform people the way the gentleman described.

Then there was the time my DMIL received a call from one of their financial institutions that DFIL was in the office opening a 30-year annuity. DFIL was 90, and turned out to be in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. They sent DFIL home with the paperwork to complete, and DMIL was able to talk him out of it.

When you have a personal relationship with your institution, I would hope they look out for you and your money. But not be nosey and intrusive.

I am not up on my details, but I believe that i some states (or is a national law?), banks are mandated reporters if they suspect elder financial abuse, whether from con men or family. This applies to California, and I'm sure other states have similar laws.

Elmer, you may not like being asked questions by your bank, but sometimes it is required.

""Who are Mandated Reporters?A person who has responsibility for the care or custody of an elder, whether or not he or she receives compensation, including administrators, supervisors, and any licensed staff or a public or private facility that provides care or servicesfor elders; any elder or dependent adult care custodian, health practitioner, clergy member, or employee of a country adult protective services agency or a local law enforcement agency. Officers and employees of financial institutions are also mandated reporters.

What is Reported?Mandated reporters MUST report actual or suspected financial abuse..."

http://www.canhr.org/factsheets/abuse_fs/PDFs/FS_FinanElderAbuse.pdf

Cashier's checks are very safe because they are issued by a bank and are paid out of bank funds, not customer accounts. The bank fills in the “payable to” information and no one but the designated payee can cash the check. ... “The checks can only be cashed by the intended recipient.”

My parents who are in their late 80's, fell for the "Grandkid in jail" scam two years ago. I was stunned by it as my parents are the least gullible people on the planet, or so I thought. I always remind them of scams that are circulating, old and new.

My parents said the "detective" was so convincing and when my parents asked if they could speak to their grandson, he sounded exactly like him and even called my mom by the name that her grandkids call her (not a common name). I did a quick search online for my parent's names and several hits came up from social clubs they belong to. I found newsletter articles about them and also being referred to as the name her grandkids call her, plus lists the grandkids names. That search took me all of 10 minutes.

My parent's were instructed to go to Best Buy and purchase $4000 worth of visa gift cards. No one at BestBuy questioned them. The detective would then call them for the numbers on the card and grandson was free to go. They did as instructed. The next day, the "detective" called and said the bail was increased and they will need another $4000. Thankfully my dad finally saw red flags and hung up on him.

I was recently at the grocery store and noticed an elderly man in the gift card section. Something seemed off, so I started chatting with him. Long story short, he was being scammed by his "cell phone provider." $500 to get a virus off his phone. I asked if he had family and said a son that lives close by. He and I called his son, who was so very thankful.

My grandmother got the calls from guys claiming to be from the Canada Revenue Agency. The one claiming to be an officer with the CRA amused her. She asked, “The CRA has its own police force now?” to which the scammer replied that they did, and they were going to come arrest her. She told him ok, would they mind stopping by after lunch? She would be free then.

It would help their game a lot if “Officer John Parker” didn’t have an Indian accent so thick that you have to keep asking him to repeat what he said.

Maybe someone can answer a question for me. Especially after Christmas you see people selling gift card in private groups. I know you can call and find out the balance before you hand over the cash, but what happens and does it happen that the seller writes down the numbers and uses the card before you even get a chance to use it?

Yes, that can happen. There are even cases of scammers recovering the numbers with the scratch off covering.

https://www.pymnts.com/news/security-and-risk/2017/gift-card-fraud-bbb-pin/

"Especially after Christmas you see people selling gift card in private groups"

I've never heard of this, has anyone else?

Yes selling gift cards that a person does not want happens all of the time. That gift card to a store that you never use is a waste unless you sell or give it to someone that wants it. Some cards are hard to get rid of.

Now if anyone comes through my lane with gift cards $100 and up, I ask the person if they received a phone call or an email telling them to buy the cards.

My former FIL had dementia and my son was his POA. One day my ex-husband took his dad to the bank with a letter saying he was changing his POA from my son to my ex. The bank called the police on my ex stating elder abuse as the bank had two letters from Dr saying my FIL was unable to make financial decisions or sign documents.

When CRA scam calls me and ask my name, I say I’m Lieutenant Joe Kenda. It doesn’t faze them that I’m female and give a mans name. When they ask for my postal code I say what postal code, I’m from Colorado Springs. That’s when they hang up on me.

The best thing is to not answer the phone unless the call is from a number that you know.

What's a POA?

Power Of Attorney

I know that use of it - it's a legal document. She described her son as being a legal document? Maybe then she meant his conservator, guardian, trustee or fiduciary.

My son was his grandfather’s POA, and executor of his will . He paid all of his grandfathers bills and bought whatever he needed while in the nursing home. My ex and his father had been estranged for sometime until my ex found out he was no longer in the will. That’s when my ex went to a lawyer to have a document done up saying that his dad wanted to change the POA from my son to my ex. He didn’t know that the nursing home and bank had papers from the dr. When they went to the bank to try to withdraw money and showed the teller the documents that’s when they called the police. I guess living in a small town where everyone knows you especially when my FIL was a business owner in that town. My FIL lived in Arizona and my ex lives in Canada.

This is why I never answer the phone although today it rang about six times. I check caller ID and never pick up unless it's the doctor, the kids, or a friend.

"My son was his grandfather’s POA"

So maybe the misunderstanding is that that's how the expression is used in Canada, it isn't used that way in the US. Of that, I'm skeptical however.

Usually we would say someone “has POA”, but I just as often now hear someone “is POA”. I heard myself identified as “she’s the POA” when my parents were in the hospital. Language is flexible, so everyone knew what was meant, although if one were communicating more formally one would probably use “has”.

I was my husband's guardian until he died. It is possible that the son WAS the POA. I see today if Friday.

A power of attorney is legal document, a signed piece of paper.

Someone appointed with the authority and right of decision-making and signature on behalf of another because of absence or incapacity (it doesn't matter why) is an "authorized or appointed representative", or one of the roles described by the words I used before or, in writing, can be called the "attorney in fact".

Would you call the executor of an estate "the will"?

I've heard many times also the person referred to as the POA.

I'm sure you have.

And that would be why I only give my phone number as 234-5678. Only legitimate business that MUST have it, get it. State and federal governments have my real number. The bank. Doctors. Lawyers. I can't think of anyone else. I tell the rest it is "unlisted". People have forgotten that we used have that option. My favorite excuse is when the cashier tells me I have to give it to them if I ever need to get a refund. Uh no. I need my receipt and, possibly, the credit card I used. You don't get my phone number.

Yes, many times when I worked in the hospital. It was stressed to use language most commonly used and understood.

Is everyone trying to get at

"______ holds a power of attorney for_________"

You know, the piece of paper???

Apparently some did not understand what I wrote so will translate. A POA is only valid as long as the person it was for is alive. Once they die it is no longer in affect. Since Liira states that her son was his grandfather's POA that phrase normally means the person that her son was assisting is dead. Sounds like some would like to use Former POA or some other term.

A person can have Power of Attorney, but they cannot be Power of Attorney.

It's no harder to say "his son has POA" than the (incorrect) "his son is POA."

So terezosa if you follow "his son is POA" with "for him" that would be wrong? I was guardian for my husband and that is what the documents stated.

Hopefully for the last time, a Power of Attorney is a piece of paper. It's not a person, a legal capacity, or a status. .

I've been away from home but I have a copy of some forms in my digital possession with the following effect. The first, a durable and mostly limitless General Power of Attorney, says:

"I, XXX, a resident of YYY County, State, appoint as my attorney in fact: My name".

It's a 19 page document. As a result of which, I am that person's "attorney in fact". The document is a Power of Attorney

Another document for that same person is a durable power of attorney for health care that names me as "agent". My title under that document is "agent". The document is a healthcare power of attorney.

I also have that person's will that names me as Executor. As a result, when acting under that document, I am "Executor". The document is a will.

This is an area I worked in, in my professional career, for which I had a state license and plenty enough training. Not much, it isn't that complicated, irrespective of what people think they know based only on what they've heard used or misused.

"Since Liira states that her son was his grandfather's POA that phrase normally means the person that her son was assisting is dead."

I missed this the first time. The answer to your question is - No, not correct.

"Sounds like some would like to use Former POA or some other term."

Also, No, not correct. .

I understand and agree with your definition of POA Elmer. But when someone signs a check for the person they have a power of attorney for, they can sign it correctly as, "John Doe, as POA". The definition that you can't stop pounding on would seem to mean that John Doe is a document.

Correct ways to sign such a check under those circumstances

John Doe for Elmer Fudd, pursuant to (or via or under) POA dtd XXXX or

Elmer Fudd by John Doe, pursuant to (or via or under) POA dtd XXXX or

Elmer Fudd by John Doe, attorney in fact under POA dtd XXXX

Since it's a check, the bank should be advised John Doe is an authorized check signer on the account and should be furnished the POA document. If so, it could be simply

John Doe

There are probably others too.

My wife is named under a general POA document for her mother. A copy was given to the bank, and she just signs her own name to checks. I act under a power of attorney for another person and that's how I sign their tax returns.

The three examples above would be perfectly appropriate for signing a contract or agreement. If what's being signed is important or involves a lot of money, often a copy of the POA is attached.

Yes, grandpa died this pass January at the age of 94. The man survived the Holocaust and COVID. The town he lived in wrote a beautiful story about him and his life. He died peacefully in his sleep with my son by his side.

Sounds like your grandfather had a long and eventful life. I hope there were enough opportunities for it to be a happy one too.

This has provided me with some good chuckle. I do not think that any doctor will care that that the designated person does not like to be referred to as a piece of paper they just want to know if a person has the authority to sign document authorizing procedures.

This is why nobody likes lawyers.

Who was talking about doctors?