Berkshire County — The District Attorney’s Office is investigating at least two phone scams targeting senior citizens in Berkshire County.
According to an email from the District Attorney’s Office, the FCC designates this type of fraud as a “grandparent scam.”
The scammer finds a way to get a consumer’s personal information by mining social media or by purchasing data offered by cyber thieves to “create a storyline to prey on the fear of grandparents” by impersonating a grandchild or close relative in a crisis, requesting money.
Due to advancements in technology, scammers can now use AI to clone a relative’s voice.
More information on “grandparent scams” can be found on the FCC’s website and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s website.
