TAMPA – Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody has issued a stern warning to grandparents after scammers swindled over $250,000 from seniors. The scheme involved fraudsters posing as attorneys for grandchildren in distress, leading to the arrest of six individuals, including Gennesis Castro and Ada Tido.
The scam begins with a phone call. “The perpetrators disguise themselves as lawyers or legal representatives of a person’s grandchild,” Moody explained. The fraudsters claim the grandchild has been in a car accident with a pregnant woman and needs bail money, urging secrecy due to a supposed gag order.
“They exploit the grandparents’ natural inclination to help their family,” said tech expert Anthony Mongeluzo. Some victims were contacted multiple times, losing over $50,000 each.
Moody advises verifying such stories by contacting the grandchild directly. Investigators revealed that victims were instructed to place cash in a box picked up by ride-share drivers unaware of the scam. The drivers then delivered the money to a designated location.
Mongeluzo warns against untraceable payments and advises contacting local police if approached by unknown callers requesting money.
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As a result of the investigation, six individuals were arrested, including 28-year-old Gennesis Castro and 32-year-old Ada Tido. Both are currently held in the Miami-Dade County Jail, facing multiple charges such as organized scheme to defraud and criminal use of personal identification.
This article underscores the importance of caution against scams targeting seniors and highlights other significant local events.
