The Greenville Pioneer is reporting the New York State Attorney General has issued an alert to New Yorkers about the so-called Grandparent Scam, a scheme that targets senior citizens with calls from people posing as their grandchild. The scam was recently reported locally. Typically, a senior will receive an unexpected call — often in the middle of the night — from someone claiming to be their grandchild. They say there's an emergency and need money. The caller may also pose as an attorney or a law enforcement officer claiming to be calling on behalf of the relative. The victim is then instructed to purchase prepaid debit or gift cards and to call back with the card numbers, allowing the person to transfer the funds. Attorney General Barbara Underwood said the victims of these scam often lose thousands of dollars and the money is rarely recovered. To protect yourself, Underwood advises: Be suspicious of anyone calling unexpectedly asking for money. Never purchase prepaid debit or gift cards for the purpose of transferring money. Develop a secret code or password to be used with family members to verify their identity over the phone. And verify any supposed emergency by calling friends and family before sending money. Anyone targeted by this scam are urged to call the AG's consumer helpline at 1-800-771-7755. Anyone who believes they have been a victim is urged to call police as soon as possible. Read the full story in the Greenville Pioneer.