By Julye Keeble at The Uvalde Leader-News, August 30, 2020
The Uvalde Police Department has recovered $40,000 of $50,000 that scammers solicited from an elderly city resident, and UPD public information officer Jessica Zamora says the money will be returned to the victim once the investigation concludes.
The rest of the cash has not been recovered at this time.
Zamora said UPD officers worked with an out-of-state police department and used a tracking number to intercept and obtain the $40,000 package last Sunday. Those officers are now investigating the scam from their department. Once the investigation is completed they will transfer funds to the UPD, which will return the money to the victim.
“That’s hard-earned cash that she’s living off for the rest of her life,” Zamora said, noting she was in the process of creating a flier to be distributed to older residents in the area warning of various scenarios used by con artists. “We have to protect our senior citizens so they don’t become the next victims.”
Zamora said the Uvalde woman, who is in her 80s, became concerned over the weekend after mailing cash she was told was needed to prevent her arrest by someone impersonating an agent of the federal Drug Enforcement Agency.
The woman was first contacted and told she was in possession of a stolen vehicle registered in her name that contained illegal narcotics and warrants had been issued for her arrest. To resolve the issue she was directed to mail $10,000 in cash from her bank, wrapped in tin foil then in bubble wrap and placed inside a brown box, via the United Parcel Service, to an out-of-state address. The woman sent the money.
She was then contacted again about a week later, on Friday, Aug. 21, and told the issue was not resolved, and she was required to mail an additional $40,000 using the previous instructions.
After mailing the money the second time, she became disquieted over the weekend and called police for assistance at 8 a.m. Sunday morning.
If you suspect someone is trying to scam you contact the Uvalde Police Department at 830-278-9147.
For more information on ongoing known false scenarios visit www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/consumer-protection/common-scams.
jkeeble@ulnnow.com, 830-278-3335
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