Cab driver saves eldery woman from becoming a scam victim

Author: Mike Walcher
Published: Updated:

LEE COUNTY, Fla.- Scammers are taking a new road to your wallet.

A Lehigh Acres woman says she fell for the trick of what started off as a typical scam, but her cab driver stopped the crook in his tracks.

The would-be victim, who does not want to be identified, is giving full credit to cab driver Tony Strong for foiling the scam.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office says scammers are starting to arrange rides for people they’re targeting.

The call came to the communications room at Bluebird Taxi. A dispatcher sent Strong to the home of a woman, in her late 80s. She wanted to go to the bank and then to Walmart to send $1,600 to a ‘Mr. Lee,’ so she could get millions from a lottery.

“I told her, ‘I have been through this before, and this is a scam and it’s not right.'” said Strong, “‘I can’t take you there. You don’t need to be giving this money away because it’s what you saved, what your husband worked for and saved for you.'”

Strong even spoke with ‘Mr. Lee,’ when he called the house to make sure the woman was getting the cash.

“This has been going on too long, it’s time it needs to stop,” said Strong.

Strong says he persuaded the woman to call her relatives, who came to the house and told the woman, hold on to your money.

“They said that they appreciated my help.”

The cab company says it’s surprised that scammers are so bold, they’re actually setting up rides for possible victims.

“Well it’s outrageous. Unfortunately, in the day of the internet and so forth, it’s hard to catch these things going on,” said Bluebird Taxi Manager Michael Griffin. “We try to train our drivers to keep their eye out.”

Beth Schell, Fraud Specialist at the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, says this is not the first time she’s heard of scammers setting up rides for people.

The bottom line is, anytime you have to pay for lottery or sweepstakes winnings, it’s very likely a scam.

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