Help needed recovering from fraud
Donation protected
A few weeks ago my sister, Sarah, was the victim of a fraudulent phone call that cost her her life's savings. As a pre-K teacher, this was already an incredibly stressful time for her, as she returns to in-person teaching amidst the pandemic. Now on top of that, she's faced with figuring out how to pay her bills.
From Sarah:
"I was in the middle of trying to figure out how in the world to set up my classroom. I have been teaching for 16 years, but this year is the first year I have felt so anxious, for good reason — teaching in person during the pandemic is harder than I ever imagined.
"At exactly that moment, the phone rang. A man claiming to be a police officer told me that I was in danger but that he, the police officer, could help me as long as I cooperated. He threatened to arrest me if I chose not to cooperate. Five hours later, I had been scammed out of my entire life savings: $18,000.
"Without my savings, I am struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. I feel incredibly ashamed and defeated. I hesitate to answer phone calls. And I feel constantly afraid that something similar will happen again. Anything you can do to help would be appreciated greatly."
We have contacted the police and bank, and right now they say there is nothing they can do to track down the scammers and recover the money that Sarah lost. Any amount you can give, no matter how much, will help Sarah get back on her feet and give her back some much-needed stability in these tumultuous and uncertain times. Thank you so much.
From Sarah:
"I was in the middle of trying to figure out how in the world to set up my classroom. I have been teaching for 16 years, but this year is the first year I have felt so anxious, for good reason — teaching in person during the pandemic is harder than I ever imagined.
"At exactly that moment, the phone rang. A man claiming to be a police officer told me that I was in danger but that he, the police officer, could help me as long as I cooperated. He threatened to arrest me if I chose not to cooperate. Five hours later, I had been scammed out of my entire life savings: $18,000.
"Without my savings, I am struggling to pay rent and buy groceries. I feel incredibly ashamed and defeated. I hesitate to answer phone calls. And I feel constantly afraid that something similar will happen again. Anything you can do to help would be appreciated greatly."
We have contacted the police and bank, and right now they say there is nothing they can do to track down the scammers and recover the money that Sarah lost. Any amount you can give, no matter how much, will help Sarah get back on her feet and give her back some much-needed stability in these tumultuous and uncertain times. Thank you so much.
Organizer and beneficiary
Julia Watson
Organizer
Waltham, MA
Sarah Watson
Beneficiary
