Man Tries to Scam New York Grandma — She Takes Sweet Revenge on Him & Films It on Camera

Jean Ebbert was already in her 70s but remained alert about a would-be scammer's plan to defraud her of $8,000. As a result, the con artist walked into a sting operation with the police and ended up behind bars.

Amidst the pandemic, several elderly people became victims of scams around the US, but one grandma was sharp and quick to realize she was being scammed through a phone call.

A 73-year-old former 911 dispatcher decided to give a crook a taste of his own medicine. Hailing from Long Island, New York, she decided to trick the would-be scammer herself and catch it all on video.

Jean Ebbert's Odd Phone Call

In January 2022, Ebbert was at home when her phone rang. On the other end of the line was a man, who Ebbert initially thought was her son-in-law, claiming to be her grandson and seeking assistance as he allegedly needed $8,000 after being jailed for Driving Under the Influence. He also added that he had been in a car crash.

She quickly instructed him not to tell his mother about the incident, as she would be angry at him, and told him that grandma would take care of everything.

The doting grandmother immediately knew the man was not her grandson. After all, the only grandchild of seven she had old enough to drive was a woman. Nevertheless, she continued to play along and immediately asked if her supposed grandson was hurt and where he was. The scammer claimed he was in New Jersey and in dire need of help.

Meanwhile, as her family told her to hang up the phone, Jean had better plans in mind. She quickly instructed him not to tell his mother about the incident, as she would be angry at him. She assured him that she would take care of everything.

He asked if she could Venmo him the $8,000, to which she replied that she had no account on the e-wallet application. She said, "I told him I had the money in the house, and I figured he's not going to fall for that. Well, he fell for that hook, line, and sinker."

Jean Ebbert's Plan to Take Down the Con Artist

The con artist then handed the phone to another man, who claimed to be the lawyer. Ebbert asked him to collect the bail money in cash from her house with a plan to catch him red-handed. While waiting, she called the police to join what would be her sting operation.

The scam artist was later identified as Joshua Estrella Gomez, a 28-year-old man from Mineola, New York.

The police hid inside Ebbert's home when the con artist, pretending to be her grandson's bondsman, arrived. Ebbert gave the man an envelope supposedly full of money but instead had paper towels.

As soon as the man got hold of the envelope and turned around, two police officers tackled him to the ground. The best part – it was all caught on camera. The scam artist was later identified as Joshua Estrella Gomez, a 28-year-old man from Mineola, New York.

Nassau County Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder said, "It was dramatic, and I think the county executive is going to deputize her as one of our police commissioners. [She] actually did a great job."

Jean Ebbert's Advice

Gomez was arrested and charged with grand theft. Thanks to Ebbert's quick thinking, he will be arraigned on February 3 and won't be defrauding anybody else. Meanwhile, the former 911 dispatcher shared a few words to caution the elderly and the general public, telling them to stay aware.

She hopes her story can inspire others to be aware that such scams exist and to use their better judgment in all situations. Police officers have also warned the public about questionable phone calls from people claiming to be from high institutions and asking for money.

It is also advised to keep personal information away from the internet, especially social media, where everything can easily be seen and turned into a scammer's target.

Unfortunately, another woman, McKala, from Kentucky, was fooled into thinking she had entered a relationship with an Australian actor named Dacre Montgomery. Sadly, the man on the other end of the screen was a fraud and scammed the woman out of nearly $10,000, not to mention broke her heart into pieces.