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Maryland State Police recovers $12,000 for an elderly telephone scam victim

Maryland State Police
Posted at 2:03 PM, Sep 10, 2021
and last updated 2021-09-10 14:03:23-04

WESTMINSTER, Md. — Maryland State Police helped recover $12,000 for an apparent victim of a telephone scam in Carroll County.

At about 8 a.m. Friday morning, an elderly woman arrived at the Maryland State Police Westminster Barrack to report that she believed that she had been the victim of a scam.

According to a preliminary investigation, she had been convinced to ship $12,000 in cash via FedEx to an address in Belmont, California.

The scam originated from a telephone call she had received.

Using the information the victim brought to the barrack, a trooper tracked the package and contacted the FedEx Law Enforcement Liaison in California. The package containing the $12,000 was located and pulled from delivery.

The money is being returned to the victim.

Here are some tips to protect yourself from scams:

  • Do not give out your personal information to someone you do not know.
  • Store personal information in a safe place.
  • Do not carry your social security card in your wallet.
  • Collect mail every day and put a hold on it during extended travel.
  • Use security features on your smartphone and computer.
  • Use complex passwords.
  • Do not use gift cards to pay the IRS or Social Security, tech support, a family member in trouble, ransom or to avoid arrest or deportation or to prevent your utilities from being turned off.
  • Trust your instincts. If you think it might be a scam, it probably is one.

The case is still under investigation.