A 75-year-old woman is sharing her story after she was scammed out of $300,000 by a man who posed as a U.S. Marshal.
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The woman, who did not want to share her identity, is a grandmother and retired teacher and said that for the past few weeks, she has been working hard to rebuild her life.
“A lot of finances have to be changed,” she told NBC6. “I’m paranoid. I don’t like to answer my phone. I don’t like to look at my emails.”
Her life changed forever after a random phone call in June.
“I was brainwashed, so to speak,” she said. “And it’s hard to get over it.”
The caller said they were from Walmart’s fraud department and claimed a $1,4000 fraudulent purchase was made in her name.
She was then transferred to someone claiming to be a U.S. Marshal, who said the fraudulent purchase was connected to another case involving drugs and human trafficking. She was then told a warrant was out for her arrest.
“They showed me a picture of the U.S. Marshal; they showed a picture of a warrant in my name. All believable stuff to really freak me out,” the woman said.
According to the Broward Sheriff’s Office, the caller used fake badge numbers and fake case and telephone numbers, along with fake names of government employees, to scare the grandmother into thinking it was real.
The woman said the scammer threatened to arrest her if she didn’t pay them more than $300,000.
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So she liquidated a CD with her family’s savings and the money from the sale of her home, converted it into gold, then delivered the gold to a courier at a nearby gas station.
Investigators said that courier was 21-year-old Mohit Mohit, who’s now charged with scheme to defraud, grand theft on a person 65 or older and unlawful use of a two-way communications device.
The victim said the alleged marshal asked for multiple payments, but she called 911 after they asked for a third payment.
BSO started investigating and located Mohit in Bradford County, where he was arrested.
Officials fear the large nationwide fraud scheme has targeted other victims and involved more suspects.
BSO says people need to keep a few things in mind when getting a call claiming to be from law enforcement:
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- Never send/give money because of an unexpected phone call, text or email.
- Never share personal and financial information with someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
- Contact the organization directly.
- If something feels suspicious, hang up.
Anyone who believes they may have been targeted should reach out to BSO.