CAUTION: Beware of scam artists... Local man's story is one of financial abuse, victimization
By Deb Anderson, Lifestyles Editor
Monday, April 26, 2004 1:54 PM CDT
When his phone rang at 10 a.m. one day last July, a local 79-year-old man was thrilled to hear the voice at the other end congratulating him on being the lucky winner of $3 million in the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes. Sound too good to be true? It was.
As it turned out, that was just the beginning of an ongoing scam.
"I thought it would be pretty nice to get that [money] but it didn't work out that way," said "John," who is not only embarrassed and devastated but wishes to remain anonymous.
He was further taken in because he had purchased items from Publisher's Clearing House in the past.
Being a trusting and generous individual, John was eager to collect his prize by complying with the instructions given by the caller who identified himself and his associates as lawyers. That meant sending $2,950 to a Western Union address in Canada "to release the package" of winnings from customs, where it had supposedly been sidetracked through "misdelivery."
Although retired and on a fixed income, John dipped into his savings and dutifully arranged for the money to be sent. Not for a second did he question the legitimacy of the conditions -- after all, the caller had provided his name and those of his colleagues, including a secretary who would be "picking up the money."
"They sure made it sound good," said John.
But after the hard-earned $2,950 was received, John started receiving regular morning calls for more money. The "lawyers" said they needed more. This time the amount was $7,050.
"I took all of my savings out of my savings account," said John.
The calls did not stop there. John was eventually told, "Send as much as you can." Still optimistic about collecting his $3 million, he even tapped into his credit card, securing a $6,000 cash advance, which he sent without hesitation through Federal Express. Ultimately, John was informed he would have to provide an amount upwards of $16,000 to claim his prize money. Demands and dollar amounts had escalated.
Fortunately for John, one of the local businesses handling John's transactions got suspicious and contacted authorities. The police and the FBI got involved and a wire tap was placed on John's phone.
A "sting" of sorts was arranged for the swindlers' next call. Voices and times were recorded, however, phone numbers were tracked back to prepaid cell phones with a variety of numbers from areas in the U.S. and Canada. But the audio evidence was hoped to be used to assist in identifying potential suspects.
For a period of nearly three months, John was beset with calls. But when they started tapering off, the file was almost closed. A final call requested that John send $4,630 via Federal Express, the specific address and directions to be disclosed later. The transaction didn't pan out and recording equipment was pulled from John's residence.
John has since found out he is but one victim in a series of similar scams pulled in the Midwest. An individual was eventually apprehended out East picking up a package of money sent by another unsuspecting victim. The other perpetrators are still at large and John's money is no where to be found.
Ashamed and humbled by his tragic circumstances, John has now been forced to cash in his life insurance to have money to live on. He had plans for that money -- it was set aside for his funeral expenses so the burden would not be on his family, the loved ones who are still unaware of his circumstances because John is too mortified to tell them.
"Them guys up in Canada sure got their money easy," said John.
Worried about how to pay off his credit card, John said, "They keep sending me bills, but I haven't been able to pay. Maybe they'll send a collector around, but they haven't yet."
John's credit card cash advance ballooned with financial charges and interest, to the tune of $1,767.69, added to his initial $6,000 responsibility.
Human Services has now intervened and John has found assistance in managing his affairs, specifically his bookwork, checking account and credit card. John also has a lawyer now who, in addition to Human Services, has notified the credit card company of the fraud committed. It is still undetermined if the debt will be forgiven, and John faces a minimum legal liability of $50.
A bit relieved, John said, "When you have three people working for you, you know you're in good hands."
Thoughts about declaring bankruptcy fill his head but John said he doesn't want his name in the paper. His car is old and in need of repairs, but John takes that in stride with an apt metaphor.
"When you get old, it's always something," he said, adding, "I still hope to put some money in savings each month," said John.
Now his advice to others who may be preyed upon in a similar fashion is "not to get involved with them [callers with "too-good-to-be-true" news].
"I tell them I'm not interested," said John.
And to bolster his resolve, he has his answering machine record messages if he chooses not to take the call.
Wary now, John wants others to benefit from his misfortune.
"They were no lawyers, they were crooks!" said John.
And as to how the callers got his name, that remains to be determined, but somehow, they knew he was a senior citizen and were hoping he was an easy mark -- some elderly are potentially vulnerable adults.
"They go after older people. They think we aren't being sharp as younger people can be," said John.
Known for donations to charitable organizations, John can no longer contribute, and if he could, he said he doesn't feel comfortable about it like he once did.
"Too many groups are asking for money. I used to give to boys' and girls' clubs, but not anymore," said John. "It seems like the last couple of years have gotten worse. You can't just help everybody. You got to look out for yourself, don't ya?"
Raised in an era of a trusting society, John now wants to "get the scam artists off the streets."
While the official police case about John's financial victimization is now closed, unofficially it will never be closed for John, who is still struggling to get on with his life, learning to look over his shoulder, while listening carefully, asking questions and becoming cautiously skeptical.
How to avoid being a victim of fraud
Anyone can become a victim of fraud, but seniors need to be especially vigilant. Seniors tend to be more vulnerable to con artists because they were raised to be more polite -- they feel uncomfortable closing the door or hanging up the phone on a stranger.
Seniors are also more likely to become victims because, unlike the work force, they tend to be at home when con artists telephone or visit. Seniors are more likely to fall for investment schemes today because poor rates of investments have made them desperate to earn better returns.
Advice from the experts
At the door -- Look out for:
"I was driving by and noticed that your roof needs repair."
"I was in the neighborhood and have some left-over materials that I can sell to you at cost."
"I will just come in and inspect your attic for leaks."
"Sign up for this low prices; it's a bargain."
What to do:
Refuse to be bullied or pressured.
Check out offers first with friends and family.
Take your time -- never sign on the spot.
Never give out large sums of money.
If you are not interested, say "No thank you," and close the door.
On the telephone -- Listen for:
"This is the deal of a lifetime."
"Congratulations! You have won a prize. You first need to send money."
"This deal is so special, let's keep it just between us."
"This is the final day for this promotion, so order now."
What to do:
Never give out your bank or credit card numbers
Keep details about your family and finances private.
Say ,"No" to instant bargains and free demonstrations.
Never agree to send money in order to win a prize.
Feel free to hang up the telephone.
Source: "The ABC's of Fraud" by Doug Burn
Submitted by the Neighbor Link Program in conjunction with the Menomonie Community Health Foundation |
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Danielle Erdman wrote on Oct 31, 2007 8:06 PM: