Quote From: kedenn Am I ever glad to see this topic. I have wanted to tell someone about this for so long, but my mother-in-law (using MIL for short) was so ashamed that she did not want the small town she lives in to know. Here is her story the best that I can relay it:
After shopping at a local Wal-Mart 20 miles from her home, she returned to her car at which time a woman jumped in the passenger side door and said she had found some money, approximately $100,000 and wanted to know if my MIL would share it with her. Of course, my MIL told her "no" that she did not want any part of it. After talking for a while, the woman told her that she needed to meet with a lawyer across the street and want MIL to take her over there in the car. MIL took her over to this what she was told was the lawyer's office. The scammer took her around the back way and had MIL park on the west side of the building. The building ends up being Cracker Barrell and MIL never realized that until a week later when she took us to the "lawyer's office." The scammer asked MIL to wait in the car and she would be right back. She waited, as ordered, and upon the scammer's return, had MIL take her back to Wal-Mart, had MIL give her her address and phone number, and left. MIL told us, her son and myself, of the incident several days later, and we both warned her not to participate in any phone conversation with a stranger nor answer the door to any stranger.
One month later, there was a knock on her country home's carport door. She looked out to see three people; a black male, white male, and white female. They flashed badges at her saying they were the FBI investigating a scam that happened at the Wal-Mart in the local town where she had shopped. The white male and female forced themselves into the house and the black male returned to the van. They convinced her that they were legal and not to fear. Even had her sign a paper saying she would cooperate. They spent two days brain-washing her saying they needed her to check money out of her checking, savings, and any other accounts to test the money to see if it had anything to do with the scam. She should have called us, but they warned her not to call us or anyone as it would harm the investigation.
On Day 2, they showed up at her house and went to four of her banks where she had two checking accounts and two savings accounts with CD's in them. Upon talking with the bank employees later that afternoon, they said they thought it was strange that MIL would be in there asking for money, but gave it to her anyway without questions other than one of the clerks said she would escort her to the car for safety. MIL refused the help. After MIL got the money, she met the black male behind a convenience store and gave him the money. He told her the other two had asked him to meet her and get the money'; that they were not able to get there in time. Shortly after giving him the money, the white female showed up and got in the driver's seat of MIL's car. She started taking MIL home and got about 15 miles down the road at which time she told MIL that the men in the van were flashing their lights at them and she needed to see what they needed. She pulled over, went back to the van, returned to MIL's car and put a manilla envelope in the glove box. Scammer lady told her not to open the envelope until 1:00 p.m. MIL returned home and waited until 1:00 to open the glove box. At that time, she found napkins in the envelope and realized she had been scammed.
MIL called us immediately hollering and crying saying "I've been had." We rushed down to the little town, first calling the Sheriff's office as well as the local Police. When we got there 1-1/2 hours later, the Sheriff was there talking to her. The Sheriff's office tried to get fingerprints, but to no avail. They were very clever. Bless her heart, she was scared to death.
After the Sheriff's investigation, the FBI was called who has done very little to help with the whole ordeal. I've called them several times, but to no avail. They came out I believe the next day and also tried to lift some fingerprints. Nothing showed up from the reports though. They did do some investigation such as obtaining videos from the convenience store, from a Burger King, where the lady had driven by to get a hamburger with MIL in the car, and even at the local Kentucky Chicken drive through. They did, however, come to her house on two occasions wanting her to identify the woman and black man. She identified the black man and that is the last we have heard from them. It has been well over one year since we have been informed of any new developments and believe me, I have called several times leaving messages, but nobody will return my messages.
MIL is so embarrassed about the whole incident saying why was she so stupid, and why didn't she call us. Oh, my goodness, if she had called us, we might could have been there with the police and caught the sorry idiots.
Just wanted to share this with you. Feels good to finally get to tell someone that it seems makes a difference. Of course, our family knows, but very few people outside know anything about it.
I was horrified as I read this story! I'm glad Dr.Phil is starting to crack down on scammers....someone sure needs to. He did a show about internet scams a few months ago, and now he's doing this new one. Unfortunately stories like this one arent uncommon. That's how these con men & women work. They prey upon the kind, the elderly, the needy, the vulnerable souls out there in the world. It really is unfortuante bc it really adds to our paranoia as a society, & someday soon we will all just be a bunch of angry people who don't reach out and help others out of fear. To this poster, I am very sorry for the pain your ''MIL'' had to endure. I do hope however that she realizes now that she can not give her personal information to strangers. I am in no way saying that this is her fault, I simply mean that as unfortunate as her sitaution was, it really could have been alot worse. There are some sick, greedy, and dangerous people in this world. God Bless her and your family.
(Original Air Date: 11/9/06) You hear about scams all the time -- e-mails and voicemail messages claiming you’ve won valuable prizes. But Dr. Phil is outraged by what some con artists are doing to him, his family and his viewers. A group of scammers has been baiting unsuspecting viewers with a phony 800-number, then taking their money in exchange for phone therapy sessions with Dr. Phil and Robin. These bogus Dr. Phil staffers were asking for anywhere from $375 to $1,000 for a consultation. One viewer, Renee, fell prey to their tricks. She wrote to Dr. Phil for advice to save her marriage, but ended up in the middle of a major con job. Then, Robin makes a call to the scammers. It’s a conversation you don’t want to miss! Plus, find out what happens when Dr. Phil sends private investigator Harold Copus to set up a sting to ask some tough questions! Join the discussion.
