OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — An alert and concerned bank employee in Overland Park helped an elderly woman avoid losing even more of her money this week.
Mary Weiss looks forward to her regular visits with the 85 year-old customer who stopped in Wednesday to withdraw some money.
“She first came in in the morning and said that she was going to be receiving a big sum of money, and she needed some money,” Weiss said.
Weiss said the woman left then came back and explained she bought a card with numbers on the back, and she said she needed to give the numbers to some people on the phone.
“I said ‘that’s a scam, it’s not going to work,'” Weiss explained.
Weiss said she tried to explain the situation to the elderly woman.
“I really felt when she left here that she knew she had been scammed,” Weiss said.
She says the woman came back later, however, and asked to withdraw even more money. This time Weiss was even more stern.
“Don’t do this, just don’t do this, and she said well I’m going to take this on. I have made the decision.”
The elderly woman told Weiss she was planning to meet the people at her house to hand over the money and get the $7 million prize and luxury car she was promised.
“We cautioned her do not let anybody in your house- these people are not nice people. This is a scam,” she said.
Weiss said she had to give the woman her money, but a co-worker called police to intervene.
“I was scared for her. We were all scared for her,” Weiss said.
Overland Park police caught up with the woman and finally convinced her not to meet with the scammers.
The Overland Park Police Chief blogged about the incident Thursday pointing out its a reminder that thieves prey on the elderly. Fox 4 spoke to a family member who says the people trying to meet with the woman have continued calling throughout the day. They were too concerned for their safety to talk on camera, but they say they’re grateful to Mary Weiss and other Community America Credit Union employees for looking out for their Mom.