Loved ones, senior advocate sound alarm after Mount Washington woman loses $10K in scam
86-year-old woman with dementia scammed after man claims her grandson faced legal trouble
CINCINNATI —
An 86-year-old woman with dementia from Mount Washington was scammed out of $10,000 this week after a man posing as a public defender convinced her that her grandson had been arrested and needed money to get out of jail.
The scam began with a phone call, creating what the victim’s daughter, Margie Massie, described as a false emergency.
Massie said the man on the phone instructed her mom to keep the situation secret. He then picked her up from her home and drove her to her bank in Mount Washington, where she withdrew $10,000 in cash as instructed.
Massie said the scammer exploited her mother’s love for her grandchildren.
“What’s more triggering than one of your grandchildren being in trouble? As someone who loves their grandchildren very much, she would do anything for them,” Massie said.
Massie said her mother now regrets falling for the scam.
“Now that she looks back at it, she said, ‘I just can’t believe I fell for that,'” Massie said.
Massie returned to the bank to question why her mother’s withdrawal of $10,000 was not flagged as suspicious.
Jodi Roberts, an outreach specialist with Cincinnati-based Pro Seniors, said families should have conversations about scams and financial safeguards to protect loved ones from fraud.
“Make sure that, perhaps, you know, you’re alerted if mom or dad has some kind of transaction going on, so that you know what’s going on as well,” Roberts said. “So having these conversations early is very, very helpful. And just establishing that trust – that you’re not out to take away freedom or agency, but you want to be there as an extra layer of support and protection.”
Roberts also noted that being named a financial power of attorney could allow a trusted relative to assist with financial matters when needed.
Massie said her mother does not drive and is typically accompanied by a family member when visiting the bank. However, this time, she went in alone.
“In this particular case, it was fear,” Roberts said. “You know, grandma thought something bad had happened to her grandchild. And of course she’s going to want to step in.”
Margie Massie said her mother’s bank account is now flagged, requiring a family member to be present for any future transactions.
Cincinnati police are still searching for the man who drove the woman to the bank and took her money. He is described as wearing a nice suit, driving a black sedan, and having black hair and a mole on his face.
Pro Seniors, the nonprofit organization Roberts works with, offers a free legal helpline for Ohioans aged 60 and older. Family members can also call on behalf of an older loved one.
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