“Dead aunt” scam backfires

Preying on the kind hearts of people trying to help others is a “con game” that probably goes back to the Stone Age, and it’s still going on.

However, on Wednesday the Garden Grove Police Department broke up of the newer hustles, panhandling for money for a non-existent funeral.

According to the GGPD, officers were in the area of Harbor Boulevard and Westminster Avenue when they spotted several males holding signs asking for donations to pay the funeral expenses for their aunt whom –they claimed – had recently passed away in Mexico.

However, officers recognized the photo on the poster of “Rosalinda” was an image that had circulated frequently on the internet.

Further questioning prompted the “nephews” to flee in different directions. One was detained by police and was later found to have warrants out of San Bernardino County.

Police caution members of the public to refuse to donate to panhandlers who may be running a scam to take your money.