When Meadow resident Betty Duncan received a frightening phone call from someone who sounded like her nephew, the quick actions of her community leadership prevented her from being a statistic in what has become known as the Grandparent Scam.

Scams targeting aging adults are on the rise. There’s a good chance you know someone who has fallen victim. Sadly, it’s a multi-million-dollar business, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting that seniors lost at least $700 million in 2024 alone.

There were warning signs when Betty Duncan answered a call from an unknown number. The person on the other end claimed to be her nephew, who said he had an emergency and needed help. She believed the person on the phone, and his sense of urgency made her act quickly.

“I called transportation for a ride to the bank. I told the scheduler, it was an emergency.”

Thankfully for Betty, the transportation employee knew her well enough to know something was amiss and alerted Meadow Executive Director Ann Rich.

“The next thing I know Ann is at my door to see what has happened,” said Betty. “The first thing she asked was if I called my nephew to see if he was alright. I honestly was so worried I didn’t even think about calling him.”

Betty shared her story, in an interview with WDRB News. This prompted a growing movement by Masonic Homes Kentucky community leaders and residents to educate and protect their neighbors from similar situations.

Requests for education on fraud prevention led Senior Vice President of Information Technology Jimmy Yates to create an initial presentation on phone and email scams. Miralea leadership also invited the executive director of the Office of Senior Protection at the Kentucky Office of the Attorney General to talk to residents about fraud and scams. These educational presentations are just a level of protection that living in a community afforded Buzz and her neighbors.

“When Grove Pointe Assisted Living asked me to talk to their residents, I realized this was valuable information for all our communities,” said Jimmy. “My key message throughout is to be quick to think, not quick to act.”

His presentation focuses on red flags to help identify quickly if a call is a scam. Many of the warning signs were prevalent in the call Betty received: urgent language, requesting financial information and pressure to keep the call a secret.

Miralea Active Lifestyle resident Elizabeth “Buzz” Bealmear faced ongoing issues when a scammer got her banking information and impersonated her bank. She admits to getting lax in checking her statement but thankfully, the bank caught the scammers when they tried to cash a check for $25,000. Instead of handling it alone, she asked a friend’s husband to go with her to the bank.

“Someone had one of my checks and had removed the name I had written to make it out to someone else,” said Buzz. “It looked legitimate. The lady I met with at the bank said her only job was to deal with fraud. Now the bank knows my voice because I call them daily to check my accounts.”

While Betty and Buzz are more cautious and prepared, the added safeguard of being surrounded by a community and trusted people who know them and can offer valuable insight to a frightening situation is immeasurable.

“I depend on our community’s transportation services, so when I called and said it was an emergency, he knew something was wrong,” said Betty. “His actions and concern kept me safe. They really are very caring people.”

 

 

 

 

September 29, 2025