ARVADA, Colo. -Scam artists are preying on elderly apartment dwellers in Arvada and police officers said it is impossible to catch them.

A typical caper involves phoning a grandparent and claiming to be an injured and financially-strapped grandchild.

The caller wants money.

“He told her he had been in an accident in Canada and he broke his nose so he was talking funny and he needed money,” said witness Bonnie Drake.

Drake works for an elderly woman who took a call from someone claiming to be her grandson.

Arvada Police Officers are visiting several apartment buildings and warning seniors about the scam.

Officer Don Sikkema said if the caller wants money to be wired overseas or the request to be kept a secret, it’s almost certainly a scam.

“This grandma/grandpa scam just drives me nuts because to me it’s one of the cruelest scams,” said Officer Sikkema.

Last year, nearly $500,000 was wired overseas by scammed elderly citizens living in Arvada.