A Westborough woman lost over $8,000 in a phone scam that lasted 5 hours
It all began with a robo call.
When a Westborough woman disappeared for five hours on Tuesday, police say her frantic husband feared she was kidnapped.
The woman was found unharmed, but her bank account received a blow.
The woman was at Walmart, unwittingly sending thousands of dollars via Western Union to scammers, said Westborough Police Chief Alan Gordon. She was the victim of a robo call scheme that swept the town earlier in the day from a caller claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service.
Several residents reported receiving the call, said Gordon, who even received the call himself.
“It’s a woman’s voice saying it’s the IRS and that they are going to file suit against you and you’ll probably be arrested if you do not call the following number,’’ Gordon said.
The victim, a 30-year-old Middle Eastern woman who owed some tax money, called the number and became “fearful’’ during the conversation, said Gordon. The thieves convinced her to send cash immediately.
“They actually arranged for a cab to pick her up at work,’’ Gordon said.
The woman took the cab to her bank, where she withdrew thousands of dollars before sending it to the scammers via Western Union at Walmart, said Gordon.
“They kept her on the phone,’’ he said. “She was tied up doing this for five hours. They kept sending her to get more and more.’’
The woman sent the thieves a total of $8,772, Gordon said.
“She felt pretty foolish that she had fallen for it,’’ he said.
While he’s never seen a case as extreme as this one, Gordon said the scam is a common one and happens everywhere. He said the immigrant population is especially vulnerable.
Gordon said educating the public is crucial in order to combat these crimes. Police officers utilize social media to issue warnings like the one posted Wednesday morning:
[fragment number=0]
[fragment number=1]
“Just don’t fall prey to these people,’’ Gordon said. “They’re going to take your money. If you have any questions, call your local police department. We will verify what’s going on.’’
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com