Clara Washington, 87, is a compassionate woman who can take care of herself and her sick husband — which is what she was doing on November 30, 2022 — running an errand at the Dollar Tree in the Jefferson-Chalmers, MI area. But a thief was also at that Dollar Tree looking for an easy target and unfortunately that was Clara.
While at the store, Clara said another woman was basically stalking her through the aisles, and as they left the store, the woman asked her a question. “She said, ‘I’m going home, could you give me a ride?'” Clara said no, but unfortunately the woman would not listen and got in the car.
Once inside her apartment, while 87-year-old Clara was getting settled and checking on her husband, the suspect took Clara’s purse. In that purse was Clara’s ID, bank cards, Social Security card, her phone, and her keys. A win for a thief who can now assume the identity of Clara Washington. A loss for Clara who will need to change her house locks and get an identity protection service.
Unfortunately, chances are Clara is not going to get justice. She did file a police report but there really wasn’t enough to find the fraudster. FOX 2 did speak with the management of the apartment complex who would not provide video, saying the 87-year-old “willingly let the person into her apartment.”
Fraud protection advice: Do not have your social security card on you. Ever. You will rarely need the card itself — perhaps only when you get a new job and have to show it to your employer. Also, look out for the elderly. Make sure they don’t have their social security card on them, nor give it out to people.
Shout out to Renee Cobb for looking out for her grandmother.
Today’s Fraud of the Day is based on an article “Elderly woman has purse stolen by stranger who preyed on her kindness” published by Fox2Detroit on December 7, 2022
An 87-year-old Detroit woman falls victim to a thief who she says managed to con her way from the Dollar Store right into her home and stole her purse.
“It’s just heartbreaking that someone would do this to my mom,” said Renee Cobb, the victim’s daughter. Clara Washington is a compassionate woman who can take care of herself and her sick husband – which is what she was doing Wednesday at around lunchtime, running an errand at the Dollar Tree in the Jefferson-Chalmers area.
“And when I got in the Dollar Store this lady kept getting so close to me and I kept saying, ‘I wonder why she is so close to me,'” Clara said.
