Help Support My Mom's Legal Defense for Senior Scam

Dear Friends, Family, and Kind Strangers,

With a heavy heart, I am reaching out to you for help on behalf of my mother.

Last year, I learned something unthinkable: my 81-year old mother, Barbara, had been scammed out of her life savings. And as if that weren’t enough, the scammer framed her in such a way that she is being accused of his crimes. My mom is deep in debt and can’t pay for a lawyer to represent her. I am humbly asking for help to pay for her legal expenses through this dire situation. I know I am asking for a hefty sum here and I don't want it to scare you off; all contributions are helpful, no matter what the size. I lay out the expenses near the bottom if you would like to see where the money goes.*

The scam started during the pandemic in 2021. This time period was extremely difficult for my mother. Not only was the pandemic forcing her into isolation, but she was the sole caretaker of her ailing, frail husband who required more and more demanding care. This created a deep emotional, mental and physical toll on her.

One day, her computer screen went black and a pop-up warning message (designed to look like it was from Microsoft) declared her computer was inoperable due to a virus. She called the phone number on the screen and spoke to who she thought was a Microsoft support technician.

They put her in touch with their “trusted vendors” to fix the issue. Over the course of these “repairs”, the scammers made a copy of her hard drive. This created a larger, more urgent need for her to secure her financial and personal data as well. They posed as multiple security software companies that would coerce her into purchasing “lifetime tech support, security software and Microsoft upgrades," all of which were fake. Several months later, she was over $100K in the hole.

The scam wasn’t over. One of the “support” techs showed kindness and compassion to her. He preyed on her vulnerable state. He proposed ways to help her recover from her losses. First, he encouraged her to join a class action lawsuit (which was fake) to sue the software “company” that took her money. She gave him money to pay for what she thought was a lawyer. He was going to “help” her out of this mess.

Next, he proposed a business idea that would help her recoup her losses. He cajoled her into starting a business. He walked her through how to set it up, told her he would take care of everything. If she didn’t like it, she could quit after a few months. He convinced her to put her hard-earned retirement money into the business as a loan to keep it afloat. This “business” didn’t earn her any money, she only lost money. When she tried to close it and get out of it, he said she would have to buy him out with $400K. She was stuck.

Unbeknownst to her, this scammer was using this company to manipulate and scam other seniors into tech support scams. As a result, my mom now finds herself entangled in a nightmare, facing legal action for his crimes.

In the midst of this great stress, my mother also suffered a stroke and her husband passed away. My mom gave so much to take care of her husband and her family – always putting other people first. This stranger took advantage of her isolation and exhaustion to rip her life savings, her dignity and her future security from her.

Her monthly social security income barely covers her doctor bills, prescriptions and daily living expenses. She is deeply in debt and struggling to make ends meet. We have found a lawyer to represent her, but she lacks the financial means to pay for it.

That's why I'm turning to you for help. We are seeking to raise $45,000 to cover my mom's trial expenses and legal representation as she navigates this nightmare.

*This is where the money goes:

While this feels overwhelming, every donation, no matter how small, will make a meaningful difference in her life and bring us one step closer to start the healing process and clear her name. It’s been very hard for us to ask for help. Your support during this difficult time means more to us than words can express.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness, generosity, and support.