‘What’s my anniversary?’ Question from grandmother stops scam in progress

A simple question potentially saved a Kansas City woman thousands of dollars.The question: “What’s my wedding anniversary?”Terri Cox asked the question to a scammer posing as her grandson. She said her grandkids never miss an anniversary for her and her husband, so she used the question when she got suspicious of the scammer.The scammer, posing as her grandson, started saying he was in an accident and had an attorney. Cox immediately grew wary when he called her “grandma,” as her grandkids call her by another name. He also talked with a slight accent.Cox did exactly what experts say is necessary to prevent scams — establish a question, a password or a code word only your family will know.Janet Baker, executive director of the KC Shepherd’s Center, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting older adults, used family code words growing up.”Not because of internet scams, because there was no internet or any of that kind of thing,” she said. “But just in case somebody was in the house or it was an emergency.”Baker and everyone at the KC Shepherd’s Center work with more than 3,000 older adults they serve to keep people safe from scammers.”I highly recommend that all families have a safety word or a safety question that everybody would know,” she said.Marsha Smith, who works the front desk at the KC Shepherd’s Center, said she has a friend who recently got scammed by someone posing as a company she trusted.”I don’t know if she ever got the money back, but it happened that fast,” she said. She said it’s also a good idea to screen calls, and make sure you put your friends and family on a “safe callers” list inside your phone.Cox, meanwhile, wanted to warn others about her experience.”To tell other people what they could do or to look out for,” she said.