‘He played on her emotions’: Elderly woman nearly scammed out of $20K, sheriff says

IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. — An elderly woman in Iredell County was nearly scammed out of $20,000, and her family and the sheriff’s office want to keep something like this from happening to anyone else.

They told Channel 9 that the suspect pretended to be law enforcement and manipulated the woman into overnighting the cash to Florida.

“It was basically that he was affiliated with a law enforcement agency and he played on her emotions,” said Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell.

Thankfully, the money never made it.

“I’ve got to give all the credit to the family members,” Campbell said. “One of her friends ended up telling her son she was sending them some cash.”

The package was set to be delivered to the Extended Stay America Hotel on Southwest 42nd Street in Gainesville, Florida. Deputies were able to intercept the package filled with $20,000 in cash in Memphis, Tennessee, and arrested Carlton Ross Thomas, 51, at the hotel.

The Iredell Sheriff’s Office worked with the Gainesville Police Department in Florida, Homeland Security Agents and FedEx Security team members to locate Thomas. He will be extradited to North Carolina.

Investigators found that other victims, including one from Los Angeles, also sent Thomas money. In total, $60,000 in cash was recovered.

The Iredell County woman’s family wants people to be careful and said if you see your loved one acting strangely, talk to them to keep something like this from happening.

Action 9: Woman loses $2500 due to Cash App scam

Cox Media Group