Grandma Helps Police Arrest Alleged Scammer Claiming To Be Her Grandson

KEY POINTS

The alleged scammer told the grandmother that he was her grandson and that he was in jail for drunk driving
A person claiming to be her grandson's lawyer said her grandson needed $8,000 for bail
The grandmother tricked the alleged scammer into coming to her house, where police were waiting to arrest him

A 73-year-old grandmother in New York teamed up with police to help catch an alleged scammer earlier this week.

The grandmother, from Seaford, Long Island — who requested to be identified only by her first name Jean — said she received a suspicious call Thursday afternoon from a man claiming to be one of her grandsons, ABC Chicago reported.

Jean, a former 911 dispatcher, said the caller claimed that he was arrested by police for drunk driving and was in jail.

"I knew he was a real scammer ... I just knew he wasn't going to scam me," Jean told CBS2’s Kiran Dhillon. "He started calling me grandma, and I don't have a grandson who drives, so I knew it was a scam."

Though she was aware that it was a hoax, Jean opted to play along. Several calls were made between them before a person claiming to be her grandson's lawyer said her grandson needed $8,000 for bail.

Meanwhile, Jean contacted police, and officers told her to play along with the scam. Soon after, a fake "bail bondsman" told her that he was in the neighborhood and could stop by her home to pick up the cash.

Jean told the alleged scammer that the money was at her home but initially thought that he would not fall for it. But the man ended up taking the bait.

When the man arrived to get the money, the 73-year-old handed him an envelope filled with paper towels.

Shortly after, police officers who were waiting nearby caught the suspect and took him into custody. He was identified as 28-year-old Joshua Estrella Gomez, from Mineola.

Gomez was charged with attempted grand larceny in the third degree, police said. He was issued a desk ticket and is due for arraignment on Feb. 3.

Although the suspect was caught in the end, police advised caution when dealing with any potential scammer. Authorities also urged the public to first inform police before attempting to do what the grandmother did.