Uber Tip Helps FBI Dismantle $5M Grandparent Scam Ring

Federal investigators, prompted by a tip from Uber's security team, charged 13 individuals connected to a large-scale grandparent scam that defrauded over 400 elderly victims, mostly in Massachusetts, out of more than $5 million. The scam, orchestrated by Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia and run from call centers in the Dominican Republic, involved scammers posing as grandchildren in emergencies and using rideshare drivers, often unaware, to transport cash from victims to money launderers. Victims, averaging 84 years old, were manipulated through scripted calls involving an "opener" and a "closer" who impersonated lawyers demanding urgent cash payments. While nine suspects are in custody, four remain at large, two in the Dominican Republic and two in the U.S. Uber has since updated its driver training to help prevent similar scams, and the Justice Department offers resources for scam prevention. Authorities emphasized the ruthlessness of the scheme and the need to protect vulnerable elderly populations from such fraudulent tactics.