Two items in the news of late should act as a reminder to all of us that there are folks out there willing to scam us for our money if we let them.
First, an attempted fraud was reported to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday. A caller to a Barton County resident said her grandson was in trouble in New Mexico and needed help. Wisely, the woman hung up before finding out what kind of “help” was wanted, and instead called her grandson, who said he was fine.
The Barton County Sheriff’s Office said that the “Grandmother Scam” is a ploy by con artists,  who pretend to call on behalf of a grandson who is in trouble. They attempt to have money sent to deal with a fictitious emergency.
Of course, there are various versions of this, quite often targeting the elderly who are more susceptible to the ruse. Sadly, they are also the ones who can ill afford to lose what little money they have.
 Next, a 52-year-old Missouri man has been sentenced to probation in a lightning rod insurance scam that targeted elderly residents in Scott County.
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Thursday in a release that Donald Anthony Moses of Neosho, Mo., was sentenced to two years of probation with an underlying sentence of 18 months in prison. Moses pleaded guilty in June to conspiracy to commit theft.
Prosecutors accused Moses of going door-to-door to sell two Scott County senior citizens fake lightning rod insurance. Moses also has to repay the residents $75,000.
Two other defendants have been charged in connection with the case.
It is said that a fool and his money are soon parted. In this day and age, there are many more ways this can happen. Just remember not to give out any personal information to anyone you do not know, whether they contact you in person, over the phone or online.
Scams have been around for millennia, and so have suckers. It is up to us to be vigilante because we are our own first line of defense.
Dale Hogg