Support Chery After Life Savings Stolen
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Hello, Internet. My name is Joanna, and I am asking for your help. Recently, my beloved 80-year-old grandma, Chery, was heinously scammed out of her life savings when she got a popup on her computer that claimed her computer had been compromised. She called the number on her computer screen, which led her to a company claiming to be “Microsoft.” The man she spoke with claimed that all the files on her computer and all accounts she’d recently logged into from that computer (including her bank accounts) had been compromised. They provided a phone number for her bank’s fraud department, and, after talking with the “bank guy” and acting in good faith that they were there to help her, did as they advised her to do: moving her funds into a secured bank account using her credit cards’ cash advance and bitcoins.
It all sounded very legit. They asked for the last few digits of her social, knew how much money she had access to in all her accounts, and knew how much money she could put on her credit cards. When Chery was not thinking clearly due to the tremendous stress and anxiety of having her bank accounts compromised, they advised her not to talk to anyone while the investigation was ongoing, and in good faith, she kept quiet until after the date they told her things should be fixed by. But by then it was too late, and she had lost her entire life savings.
They took everything.
They stole close to $45,000.
A police report has been filed, but they stated there wasn’t much they could do and that their hands were tied. Of course, the names, phone numbers, and case numbers the scammers gave her are all phony. My grandma’s banks have denied her fraud claim as she technically authorized the funds to be moved to a “secure account” while everything was being investigated. Even though the transactions were made under duress and falsehoods from someone claiming to work for her bank and “Microsoft,” they’re not able to recover any of her money.
My grandma makes enough in social security to pay for her rent, insurance, gas, food, etc. but has NOTHING left over. She has absolutely no savings left. While she’s grateful and trying hard to stay positive for what she still has, if my grandma had an emergency with her vehicle or another unexpected bill, she would not be able to pay it.
If you are able to do so, please help. The financial and mental strain of this situation has been very difficult on her, and any amount of help given would be a blessing.
Thank you.
Below are links with some more information on scams targeting elderly individuals, and a post made on Microsoft’s help forum with a scam similar to the one that my grandma fell for.
Organizer
Joanna Mehalko
Organizer
Rochester, MN