It’s a growing scam becoming all too popular within South Florida’s elderly population – getting a phone call saying your loved one is in trouble and instructing them to send thousands of dollars they think is helping but instead is being used as part of the scam.
Now, one woman is sharing her family’s story of nearly being scammed out of thousands of dollars in order to help the next family avoid being a potential victim.
In an interview only on NBC 6, Xiomara Martinez said her 77-year-old mother got a phone call last week saying she needed to send $7,000 after her grandson was allegedly involved in an accident.
“This man said my son had ran a red light and he hit a pregnant woman…(and) he needed money to get out of jail,” Martinez said.
Martinez said the man, claiming to be her son’s lawyer, gave her a bank account number to send the money to – but before she did, Martinez called her son who said he hadn’t been in any accident.
“It was horrible,” Martinez said. “I just want everybody to know.”
Miami-Dade Police say two elderly women fell for a similar scam last month when Aquiles Brito-Bigott allegedly scammed them out of $35,000 after claiming their family members caused an accident before he was arrested.
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Martinez hopes this latest attempt at the scam is a wake up call for others who could become a victim.
“Stop and call the person they’re talking to you about. If it’s your son, call your son,” she said. “Don’t let what happen to me and my mom happen to you.”
