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Retirees lose $3k in scam related to iTunes gift cards

CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. (WOOD) – Like so many scams, this one started with a phone call. Now, a pair of 71-year-old grandparents is fighting to get their $3,000 back.

James Andrie took the call last Tuesday. The voice on the other end was convincing, he said. It was a man claiming to be his grandson who said he had been arrested in Las Vegas and needed $3,000 to make bond.

Andrie said he was skeptical about the call, but insisted the voice on the other end sounded just like his grandson.

“I says, ‘Hello?’ And the voice says ‘Grandpa?’ I said, ‘Is this Jimmy?’ ‘Yeah,’” Andrie said.

He was also convinced because when he called his grandson’s cellphone number, he didn’t get an answer.

“The voice connected,” Andrie insisted. “We’re family and we’re going to take care of each other.”Edit

Andrie said he was skeptical of the call. The caller offered to have his “attorney” discuss the matter with the grandparents in a phone call later the same day.

In the meantime, Andrie and his wife went to the local Rite Aid and bought six $500 iTunes gift cards, not knowing that they could only be used to purchase music from Apple’s online store.

“First time I heard iTunes in my life,” Andrie said.

“We’re technologically impaired,” his wife Patricia Andrie joked.

When the “attorney” called, James Andrie questioned him and soon realized it was a scam.

He thought getting his money back would be as simple as returning the gift cards to Rite Aid. He was wrong.

Rite Aid staff said they couldn’t refund his money and directed him to Apple. Andrie said a representative at Apple referred him to “corporate security.” Andrie said that didn’t help because security wouldn’t discuss the matter with him, telling him they only talk with police.

Apple deactivated the gift cards.

When the Andries contacted the Kent County Sheriff’s Department, an officer contacted Apple. But the Andries say the officer claimed Apple wouldn’t talk with him either, telling him to email his information to corporate offices.

That was late last week. The Andries said on Monday that they have yet to hear back from Apple.

WISH-TV’s sister station WOOD attempted to contact Apple media relations early Monday afternoon, but did not get a return call before the close of business.

The retired couple that fell prey to the scam says $3,000 is a significant blow.

“That’s what changes when you retire. You can’t replace. You only deplete every day,” Andries said. “To [Apple], $3,000 ain’t even a cup of coffee.”

“They got my $3,000 and I got six pieces of worthless paper.”