The woman was asked to hand over debit cards to a courier, that turned out to be a retired police officer Uber driver.
SEDONA, Ariz. — A quick-thinking Uber driver is being credited with stopping a scam targeting an elderly woman in Sedona, officials said.
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The incident unfolded last week when a Yavapai County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a fraud report in the Village of Oak Creek, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators say a woman in her 90s had received a call from someone posing as a Wells Fargo representative. The caller claimed her accounts had been hacked and instructed her to hand over her debit cards to a courier.
Before that could happen, an Uber driver named Michael arrived after receiving a ride request for a passenger listed as “Sam.” When the woman approached him with a bag and asked if he was the courier, Michael immediately became suspicious.
Drawing on his experience as a retired police officer, he recognized the signs of a scam and urged the woman not to go through with it. Despite being told to keep the situation confidential, she listened. Michael stayed with her to ensure she was safe until help arrived.
She believes Michael was sent to stop her from doing what she was doing, and expressed gratitude, saying, “Angels are everywhere.”
The sheriff’s office is now reminding the public to stay alert for similar scams. Officials say criminals often pose as legitimate banks, use spoofed phone numbers, create a sense of urgency, and instruct victims to keep the situation secret while waiting for a courier.
Authorities urge anyone who receives suspicious calls to hang up and contact their bank directly or report it to law enforcement.
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