A 77-year-old Staunton woman lost close to $60,000 in cash after a caller posed as her granddaughter, claiming to need money for an emergency, according to the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office.
The scam began on October 28 with a call in which a voice resembling her granddaughter’s told her she’d been in a car accident that injured another person. However, authorities confirmed that the caller’s voice was faked.
The caller convinced the woman to provide cash, leading her to meet with three different individuals—two who visited her home and a third person she met in Staunton. Over the course of three exchanges, the woman placed $15,000 to $20,000 in a box each time, ultimately giving the suspects a total of $55,000. One individual posed as an attorney, and the woman was instructed to mark the boxes with a “case number.”
The scam was reported on Monday, prompting an investigation. Augusta County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Lt. Leslie Snyder advises caution when someone requests large sums of cash, especially in emergencies. “If somebody calls you telling you that a family member has been in a wreck, or is in jail, you should call and verify it first,” Snyder said.
The Federal Trade Commission reports that imposter scams are currently the leading category of fraud in the U.S., resulting in $2.7 billion in losses in 2023 alone. These scams often involve impersonators claiming to be relatives, bank fraud departments, government officials, or tech support experts.