Help Deasia Taborn, Hit & Run, and Scam Victim
Donation protected
Hello, I'm Deasia Taborn, an 18 year old Wichita Heights High School 2020 graduate, who is now a Freshmen at Butler Community College. Just when I thought life couldn't get any worse after not being able to traditionally graduate High School, just three weeks after getting my braces off, tragedy struck.
On August 30th 2020, around 5:40 pm, I became a victim of a horrific, life threatening hit and run accident. I was sitting at an intersection waiting to turn and someone who was driving a black 4 x 4 pick up truck slammed into the back of my tiny little Honda and sped off. As a result of this accident, I sustained multiple injuries including severe back injuries, bumps, bruises, but worst of all was the condition of my mouth. The impact of the accident, caused my face to slam into the steering wheel, causing a tooth extraction and fractured bones that hold my teeth in place. To add insult to injury, the driver didn’t have insurance. After missing out on work, months of physical therapy, and numerous doctor and dentist visits, DeVaughn James Law Firm, was able to help me win the settlement to pay for future bone graft procedures, implants, and medical bills.
I received my settlement in the middle of December 2020, and was waiting on my mouth to heal enough, to get the procedures I need. I opened a bank account with Meritrust Credit Union a couple months before I was given a settlement and when I finally got the settlement, I went to Meritrust and deposited the check right away. I was assured on how my account was secure from any scammers and how they had insurance to get money back for fraudulent situations. On Saturday January 16th 2020, I was on my school laptop and out of nowhere a pop-up popped up on my screen saying that my computer had a virus and they froze my computer screen saying to call the Microsoft helpdesk to help me unlock my computer screen. They gave me a number so I called the number off of my phone and a man by the Name David Wilson, said he was from Microsoft and he walked me through how to unlock my computer. He also showed me that the people who were hacking me was from China, and Russia and to check my banking statements to make sure there’s no fraud going on and I didn’t see any fraud so he told me to tell him the number to my Meritrust credit union and I told him the number so that he could transfer me to them. When I was transferred to that number I was connected to an automated voice system that then connected me to a male identifying as a Meritrust representative.
The man identifying as a Meritrust representative, informed me that there was a pending $4,000 payment on my account for child pornography and that if the payment went through, I could possibly go to jail because it’s illegal in the United States. I was scared because I never bought any child porn or anything of that sort. I asked him how can I not make the payment go through and he said to take all my money out of my accounts before the pending payment went through so that when it tries to go through, it will decline. He had me go to Best Buy, Target, CVS, Walmart, and Dillons to get all my money off of my accounts onto gift cards. I transferred $7000 onto gift cards in just a matter of hours. I thought that if it turned out to be any suspicious fraudulent activities, my bank would freeze my card, but that never happened. My card was never frozen, so I thought Meritrust had made it to where my account could withdraw such a big amount in one day because they waved it through for the simple fact that my account was in danger and I needed to transfer my money to a safer account. They told me that if I read them the numbers on each gift card and the access codes that they would send that money to my new banking account and my new card and they will cancel out my old card. Out of fear, I told him all the stuff and the Sunday after January 16th, I realize that it was a scam because I could still use that card that was so called canceled. I filed a police report immediately and I was told I was indeed scammed. The whole pop-up thing on my computer was a lie and it was all scam, I was never talking to my bank, my computer was never in danger.
I was very devastated to find out this terrible news because I didn't get a chance to use the money for what it was given to me for. I went to my bank and they told me it’s extremely rare that people get their money back. I need that money back because bone grafts and tooth transplant aren't cheap, and I don't have thousands of dollars to pay for those expenses. If I could give one word of advice from this, make sure your bank has fraud protection, daily spending limits, and if you have questions about charges on your account, call your bank directly.
I would greatly appreciate any donations or assistance with raising the money to complete my procedures and pay off my medical bills. Thank you for your support in advance and God Bless!
On August 30th 2020, around 5:40 pm, I became a victim of a horrific, life threatening hit and run accident. I was sitting at an intersection waiting to turn and someone who was driving a black 4 x 4 pick up truck slammed into the back of my tiny little Honda and sped off. As a result of this accident, I sustained multiple injuries including severe back injuries, bumps, bruises, but worst of all was the condition of my mouth. The impact of the accident, caused my face to slam into the steering wheel, causing a tooth extraction and fractured bones that hold my teeth in place. To add insult to injury, the driver didn’t have insurance. After missing out on work, months of physical therapy, and numerous doctor and dentist visits, DeVaughn James Law Firm, was able to help me win the settlement to pay for future bone graft procedures, implants, and medical bills.
I received my settlement in the middle of December 2020, and was waiting on my mouth to heal enough, to get the procedures I need. I opened a bank account with Meritrust Credit Union a couple months before I was given a settlement and when I finally got the settlement, I went to Meritrust and deposited the check right away. I was assured on how my account was secure from any scammers and how they had insurance to get money back for fraudulent situations. On Saturday January 16th 2020, I was on my school laptop and out of nowhere a pop-up popped up on my screen saying that my computer had a virus and they froze my computer screen saying to call the Microsoft helpdesk to help me unlock my computer screen. They gave me a number so I called the number off of my phone and a man by the Name David Wilson, said he was from Microsoft and he walked me through how to unlock my computer. He also showed me that the people who were hacking me was from China, and Russia and to check my banking statements to make sure there’s no fraud going on and I didn’t see any fraud so he told me to tell him the number to my Meritrust credit union and I told him the number so that he could transfer me to them. When I was transferred to that number I was connected to an automated voice system that then connected me to a male identifying as a Meritrust representative.
The man identifying as a Meritrust representative, informed me that there was a pending $4,000 payment on my account for child pornography and that if the payment went through, I could possibly go to jail because it’s illegal in the United States. I was scared because I never bought any child porn or anything of that sort. I asked him how can I not make the payment go through and he said to take all my money out of my accounts before the pending payment went through so that when it tries to go through, it will decline. He had me go to Best Buy, Target, CVS, Walmart, and Dillons to get all my money off of my accounts onto gift cards. I transferred $7000 onto gift cards in just a matter of hours. I thought that if it turned out to be any suspicious fraudulent activities, my bank would freeze my card, but that never happened. My card was never frozen, so I thought Meritrust had made it to where my account could withdraw such a big amount in one day because they waved it through for the simple fact that my account was in danger and I needed to transfer my money to a safer account. They told me that if I read them the numbers on each gift card and the access codes that they would send that money to my new banking account and my new card and they will cancel out my old card. Out of fear, I told him all the stuff and the Sunday after January 16th, I realize that it was a scam because I could still use that card that was so called canceled. I filed a police report immediately and I was told I was indeed scammed. The whole pop-up thing on my computer was a lie and it was all scam, I was never talking to my bank, my computer was never in danger.
I was very devastated to find out this terrible news because I didn't get a chance to use the money for what it was given to me for. I went to my bank and they told me it’s extremely rare that people get their money back. I need that money back because bone grafts and tooth transplant aren't cheap, and I don't have thousands of dollars to pay for those expenses. If I could give one word of advice from this, make sure your bank has fraud protection, daily spending limits, and if you have questions about charges on your account, call your bank directly.
I would greatly appreciate any donations or assistance with raising the money to complete my procedures and pay off my medical bills. Thank you for your support in advance and God Bless!
Organizer
Jendayi Hubbard Maples
Organizer
Wichita, KS
