Phone scams are anything but new around these parts, but the latest scam is possibly the scuzziest one ever created. The people behind this one are the true Grinches of Christmas.

As if phone scams weren't already rotten enough, this new one targets senior citizens. What's worse, it puts seniors in a position to believe that children are in trouble.

According to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, this new scam utilizes information found on social media. As a result, the scam comes off as being very believable.

Some loser is calling seniors around Western Colorado pretending to be their grandchild. The caller is claiming to be in a foreign country, in trouble, and in need of money.

Has anyone fallen victim to this yet? Sorry, but yes. In this case, the person receiving the call has a grandchild that actually travels out of the country. As a result, the phone call seemed plausible.

How do you spot this one? If you receive such a phone call, turn right around and call the person they are claiming to be. Sounds simple enough.

According to the Mesa County Sheriff's Office, this scam is anything but new. It's been going on for years. In this case, though, the scammers are calling their victims armed with the detailed information they gleaned from social media. In other cases, the scammers claim to be law enforcement from the foreign country.

How can you protect yourself from this scam? Be careful what you share on social media. It's really nobody's business that you or your child is traveling out of the country over the holidays. This not only communicates your travel plans, but also the information your home may be vacant.

Please be on the lookout for this scam. If you've been contacted by someone you believe to be associated with it, contact the Mesa County Sheriff's Office at (970) 244-3500.