Woman loses $20,000 in courier scam
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. —
A 79-year-old woman lost more than $20,000 in a money transfer scam, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Troopers said the woman handed the money to a courier, though full details of the case are still pending.
Police intervene in $8,000 scam
Last week, a similar scam in Florida nearly cost another woman $8,000. She was told her money in the bank was at risk and instructed to withdraw it for “safekeeping.”
“When he told me I was under investigation, I got scared and said I can’t do this. He said, ‘Don’t talk to anybody. Don’t tell anybody. I’ll stay on the phone with you.’ And he just went on and on,” the Florida woman said.
She was also directed to hand her money to a courier, but police intervened, arrested the suspect, and recovered the $8,000 in cash. The suspect told police she had carried out this scam about 10 times.
Warning signs of a growing scam
Similar cases have occurred nationally, and this was described as “the fastest-growing scam in the country.”
“If someone posing as a law enforcement officer, a lawyer, a banker — whatever — is telling you to move your money and hand it over to someone else for safekeeping, that’s always a scam,” investigative reporter Brian Roche said.
He urged people to warn friends, family and neighbors about this scam to prevent further losses.
