ATHENS, Ga. — An incident that appears to be the end-result of a devastating scam led an Athens couple to call police - and brought that agency to issue a warning.
According to a report filed by an Athens-Clarke County Police Department, one of their officers was called to meet with a 63-year-old victim who said her 42-year-old husband had been deceived in a scheme he entirely believed was real. Due to a language barrier, the officer communicated using an app on her phone.
The woman said her husband thought he was talking to an FBI agent and lawyer through Facebook and was assured they were working to get his original funds back. However, they said he needed to send more money for court and attorney fees. The man's wife alleged he lost over $8 million.
The crime has been shared with the Financial Crimes Bureau for further investigation. In the meantime, Athens-Clarke County Police are urging the public to be wary of these scams.
And while age doesn't appear to have necessarily been a factor in this case, the department is asking elderly residents to be skeptical of strangers requesting money regardless of who they claim to be.
The department urges caretakers and other seniors to have "The Talk" regarding financial crimes and how they might be targeted.
The department said senior citizens are considered one of the most commonly targeted groups when it comes to financial scams.
"According to our detectives, seniors are prime targets for scams and those that care for them should keep a careful eye on their financial transactions," the police department said.
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