Melissa and Brendon's Fund
Donation protected
On behalf of my cousin, Melissa & Brenden Degen, I have created this GoFundMe page. This story has two purposes:
1) to help the Degen Family recover $15,800 lost to a scam and
2) to inform everyone else about what happened to them.
On Friday, December 5th, Melissa was called on her cell phone by someone claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury Department. He told her that her 2009 tax return had been improperly filed and she owed the government $15,800 in fines and taxes. He claimed that multiple attempts had been made, by mail, to collect. Then he threatened her with an arrest scheduled for Monday, December 8th at 11:00AM. After she told him he must have the wrong information, he then threatened her again by saying that the police had been dispatched to her home and would be there in 30-40 minutes. Then her home phone got an incoming call from a number claiming to be 911. Melissa was told she couldn't hang up the phone or they would not be able to help her and the police would take her to jail. With two small children in her care she proceeded to listen and follow the instructions of the scammer. She went to her bank and withdrew the money. Through an elaborate scam the money was transferred to an account and lost. It was only when the scammers called back asking for another $2000 that Melissa called her mother for help. This type of misforute would be aweful at anytime of year, but at Christmas time, with three young girls, it is tragic.
Through lying, scare tactics and deceit Melissa and Brenden lost their savings and hopes for a down payment on a house they had hoped to buy.
We are trying to help them recoup the lost funds, and not a penny more.
Thank you!
Stuart Anderson
1) to help the Degen Family recover $15,800 lost to a scam and
2) to inform everyone else about what happened to them.
On Friday, December 5th, Melissa was called on her cell phone by someone claiming to be from the U.S. Treasury Department. He told her that her 2009 tax return had been improperly filed and she owed the government $15,800 in fines and taxes. He claimed that multiple attempts had been made, by mail, to collect. Then he threatened her with an arrest scheduled for Monday, December 8th at 11:00AM. After she told him he must have the wrong information, he then threatened her again by saying that the police had been dispatched to her home and would be there in 30-40 minutes. Then her home phone got an incoming call from a number claiming to be 911. Melissa was told she couldn't hang up the phone or they would not be able to help her and the police would take her to jail. With two small children in her care she proceeded to listen and follow the instructions of the scammer. She went to her bank and withdrew the money. Through an elaborate scam the money was transferred to an account and lost. It was only when the scammers called back asking for another $2000 that Melissa called her mother for help. This type of misforute would be aweful at anytime of year, but at Christmas time, with three young girls, it is tragic.
Through lying, scare tactics and deceit Melissa and Brenden lost their savings and hopes for a down payment on a house they had hoped to buy.
We are trying to help them recoup the lost funds, and not a penny more.
Thank you!
Stuart Anderson
Organizer
Stuart Anderson
Organizer
Salt Lake City, UT
