His name was Colonel Lance Shimmeroff. He was a retired U.S. Army officer and happened to be an ace Words With Friends player, according to my 75-year-old mother, who no one in the family could beat at the online game. They played the game often, and he impressed with his word combinations and witty banter. Within a few months, Grandma received a Facebook friend request from Col. Shimmeroff. She accepted. The personal questions and lunch invitations soon followed.
As she recounted the story and how she politely declined his advances, I took a closer look at “the Colonel’s” account. Sure enough, Grandma was being catfished.
I consider my mother one of the most brilliant people on the planet. It never crossed my mind that she wouldn’t know about catfish accounts online designed to gain the friendship — and eventually scam — older women.
She blushed. We laughed. And then
