The Grandparent Scam Petition

The Grandparent Scam Petition

The purpose of this petition is to make both Walmart and MoneyGram International do more than they are currently doing to stop The Grandparent Scam. This is one of the most deviant, vial cons being perpetrated on our senior citizens today. Both Walmart and
MoneyGram profit from these transactions while claiming plausible deniability, and wash their hands of any responsibility.
Heres how the scam works. The perpetrator calls the unsuspecting grandparents and says Grandma (Grandpa), I am in real trouble and need help! Then proceeds to tell a story about either being in an auto accident, or being caught fishing without a license in Canada or something to that degree. They then proceed to tell the grandparents they dont want their parents to know, that this must be kept top secret, ask for an amount of money and give specific instructions to go to Wal-Mart and use Money Gram to send money to them. There are so many of these stories online its almost scary that nothing has been done to prevent them.
These people are preying on the love and emotion most grandparents feel for their grandchildren. They use tragedy, immediacy and secrecy to insure a quick response. In many cases which are documented online, grandparents have been fleeced of anywhere from $1000 to $20,000 from this scam.
Both Wal-Mart and Money Gram have notifications and disclaimers on their website but this is not enough. What this petition is asking for is the following:

1. Clear and easy to read signage explaining this scam at every Walmart/MoneyGram location.
2. Money Gram clerks be required to verbally explain this scam to every senior citizen sending amounts in excess of $500.00.

Our grandparents are a precious asset and do not deserve to have in many cases their lives torn apart by this scam. It is a crime that leaves the grand parents feeling foolish and embarrassed, and in many instances penniless. Wal-Mart and Money Gram need to help stop this crime by being proactive.