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Jan. 8, 2025Des Moines, Iowa |  By: Jeremy Werner

Iowa seeing an uptick in "grandparent scams"

elderly people holding hands

DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and the Department of Public Safety are warning residents about a surge in “grandparent scams” targeting older Iowans across the state.

In these scams, fraudsters pose as a grandchild, claiming they’ve been in an accident, jailed, or hospitalized, and urgently request money. Some scammers even send fake couriers to collect cash directly from the victim's home.

They often gather personal details from social media to make their stories more convincing and may involve accomplices pretending to be attorneys, doctors, or police officers.

Authorities emphasize that these scams often result in untraceable transfers of funds, leaving victims without recourse.

To protect against grandparent scams, officials recommend hanging up, verifying the caller’s identity with a trusted family member, reporting the scam to local law enforcement, and filing a complaint with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office.

If you suspect a grandparent scam, contact local law enforcement or the Attorney General’s Office at 1-888-777-4590 or visit iowaattorneygeneral.gov.