A Royal Oak grandfather says he was duped out of $26,000 in a slick bank scam that has his family warning pretty much anyone who will listen. The man, a longtime member of the Lions’ chain gang who also cares for a wife with advanced Parkinson’s disease, lost the money after what relatives describe as a very convincing series of calls and messages.
Family members have gone public in an effort to keep the same thing from happening to their neighbors. As reported by ClickOnDetroit, they spoke with reporter Priya Mann and shared a GoFundMe to help cover immediate bills and caregiving costs. In the station’s video interview, relatives recount how authoritative the caller sounded and why they felt they had to move the money fast.
How The Scam Worked
The family has not released a detailed, step-by-step timeline, but the pattern lines up with what cybersecurity experts say they are seeing more often. Attackers are combining spoofed bank alerts, deceptive text messages and even cloned or AI-altered voices to push victims into transferring large sums in a hurry.
The FBI has warned about “smishing” text scams and “vishing” voice scams that use AI-generated audio and other tricks to build trust. The endgame is often the same: get the victim onto encrypted apps or private channels and walk them through transfer instructions that quietly route money to criminals.
Why Older Adults Are At Risk
Federal data show that older adults are filing a disproportionate share of the big-money imposter-scam reports. From 2020 through 2024, the number of reports from people 60 and older who lost $10,000 or more more than quadrupled.
The FTC notes that pop-up security alerts, fake bank calls and even so-called courier pickups are common hooks. Many of these cons start the same way: a phone call or message that creates instant panic, followed by urgent instructions not to hang up or talk to anyone else.
What To Do If You’re Targeted
If you get an unexpected call, text or email claiming there is a problem with your account, the safest move is to slow everything down.
Hang up, ignore the text or close the email, then contact your bank directly using the phone number on your statement or the institution’s official website. Do not use numbers or links provided in the suspicious message.
Report the incident to local law enforcement and submit a complaint at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also reach out to local authorities or the Department of Justice-backed National Elder Fraud Hotline, listed in the Office for Victims of Crime resources, so investigators can try to trace transfers and possible money mules.
Local Support And Next Steps
The family says neighbors and local groups have already stepped up with offers of help while they work with their bank and document the loss. For the full interview and the fundraiser link, see ClickOnDetroit.
Experts say one of the best defenses is simply refusing to be rushed. Scams are evolving quickly, but the tactics are familiar: pressure, secrecy and urgency. The FTC and FBI continue to publish guides and reporting tools for anyone who thinks they may have been targeted, and they urge people to double-check with a trusted relative or friend before moving money for anyone, no matter how official they sound on the phone.
