Local News

Lowe’s employees intervene to stop senior scam in Dedham

A senior citizen visiting Dedham almost lost $10,000, police said.

Police are praising the employees of a Lowe’s in Dedham who reportedly prevented a senior citizen from being scammed out of $10,000. 

According to Dedham police, the senior citizen was visiting from out of state. They received a pop-up message while checking their email that used the Microsoft logo. They were then told to call a specific phone number. 

When the senior citizen did, they were told that money from their bank account had been used to purchase child pornography. The bank account was frozen, the scammers said, and the senior needed to pay to “clear the account.”

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The senior then went to a Lowe’s to purchase gift cards, apparently to pay the fine, police said. Employees at the store recognized the scam and convinced the person not to buy any. 

The employees then helped the senior get in touch with their financial account providers to make sure their money was safe, police said.

Ross Cristantiello

Staff Writer

Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.

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