Uber helping detectives solve Florida ‘grandparent scams’

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Detectives in Tampa are asking Uber to help solve a “grandparent scam” that conned $10,000 from a 75-year-old man who was told his granddaughter needed the money to get out of jail. Uber also is helping the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office find suspects in a long-running con that scammed an 82-year-old woman out of $700,000, nearly her entire life savings. In both cases, people told the elderly victims to withdraw money and then used the ride-sharing service when they picked it up. Detectives want names of Uber account holders and credit card information along with their ride histories. Uber says it’s cooperating.