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Myndi Jordan was at the Chevron gas station on Cherry Lane in White Settlement last Thursday when she noticed something alarming, prompting her to call 911.
“As I approached the ATM, I saw the lady standing here, frantically inserting $100 bills into the machine,” Jordan recounted.
She observed that the woman was on a video call with a man who was instructing her and asking to see the ATM screen.
“I asked, ‘Ma’am, do you know them?’ She said, ‘No, I have to do this right now.’ She was very upset, visibly distressed,” Jordan recalled.
Sergeant James Stewart from the White Settlement Police Department arrived at the scene.
“Please, I have the bank on the phone,” the elderly woman told Stewart, as captured in the body-camera footage.
“Ok, let me talk to who you’re talking to at the bank,” Stewart responded.
“I’m in danger, and this is Chase Bank,” she said.
“No you’re not, ma’am,” Stewart reassured her.
Police explained that the alleged scammer had posed as a Chase Bank security employee. Over the past few days, he had coerced the victim into arranging for a rideshare to take her from her home to the bank, providing her with a backstory for withdrawing $40,000 when questioned by the bank.
The suspect then organized another rideshare to take her to a convenience store with an ATM. When they couldn’t locate a Bitcoin ATM, they ended up at the Chevron on Cherry Lane in White Settlement.
By the time Sgt. Stewart arrived, the victim had already deposited $23,900.
“In my career, I’ve seen this scenario play out numerous times where victims have already sent the money before a report is made,” Stewart noted.
He was thinking about all those past victims when he intervened with the suspect on the phone.
“You’re done speaking with this nice lady,” Stewart can be heard telling the suspect in the body-camera footage.
Despite Stewart’s efforts, the alleged scammer persisted, instructing the victim to press buttons.
“Listen to me! She is not clicking on anything,” Stewart firmly stated to the suspect.
Eventually, Stewart successfully ended the transaction.
“It has nothing to do with vulnerability, really. It has to do with the terror and the bullying that these people do to them,” Stewart commented, reflecting on his own mother’s age, close to that of the victim.
Authorities managed to contact Bitcoin and arranged for the return of the victim’s deposited funds.
“The only thing that could’ve made it better is if I could’ve gotten my hands on him. I would’ve loved to have taken him to jail,” Stewart expressed.
Now, the White Settlement Police Department aims to raise awareness about such scams.
“It’s very easy to be coerced into giving up your life savings out of fear of going to jail,” Stewart cautioned.
He emphasized that scammers can spoof numbers to make it appear as though they are calling from your bank, advising people to hang up and call their bank directly using the number listed on the bank’s official website.
“It’s important to note that financial banks will never request withdrawal of funds,” the department emphasized in a press release.
Jordan, who herself fell victim to a similar scam in the past, felt fortunate to have been in the right place at the right time.
“All I could think of was, ‘This lady is here all by herself, scared to death.’ And I would want somebody to help my grandmother, my mom—help me in that situation,” she said. “It’s devastating. It can ruin your life in a matter of moments. Your entire life savings could be gone.”
Both Jordan and Stewart said the victim expressed gratitude by hugging them for their assistance.
“She hugged my neck and she told me, ‘Thank you.’ She said I saved her and I don’t feel like that was the case, I just feel like as a community we have to look out for each other,” Jordan added.
TIPS TO AVOID A SCAM
– If someone calls claiming to be from your bank, hang up and call the number on the back of your debit or credit card.
– Do not share your PIN, passcode, or any access information with anyone who requests it.
– Government agencies, financial institutions, or reputable businesses will never ask you to send money through Bitcoin.
– Don’t trust caller ID; scammers can spoof numbers.
– If you feel uneasy about a request via phone, text, or email, hang up or do not respond. Instead, contact your bank directly using their official website or the phone number on your bank statement.
HOW TO REPORT A SCAM
If you suspect you’ve been scammed, start by contacting the company or bank that issued your credit or debit card to report the fraudulent charge. While it may be challenging to reverse the charges, request their assistance in recovering your funds.
You can also report scams to the FTC and the Texas Office of the Attorney General.