LYNNWOOD — A 63-year-old Mukilteo woman was reportedly scammed out of $60,000 by a man and woman who sold her a story about charity, hostages and a death in the family, Lynnwood police said.
Lynnwood police are searching for a man and woman in connection with the incident. The two were filmed by security cameras near the Mukilteo woman’s bank driving off in a new, black Ford Expedition. They were there to withdraw cash, Lynnwood police spokeswoman Shannon Sessions said.
Police believe the scammers worked together to con the Mukilteo woman. The female thief said she was looking for honest, trustworthy people who would take thousands of dollars from her to donate to charity. The man, who posed as a bystander, helped lure the Mukilteo resident into the scheme by feigning interest in the woman’s seemingly charitable plan, Sessions said.
“We don’t know if they offered to give (the Mukilteo resident) something in return,” Sessions said.
Police said the Mukilteo woman was approached by the female scammer July 2 in the parking lot of Costco in Lynnwood. She claimed to be from a wealthy family in Africa and said she’d come to America because her uncle died and left her up to $180,000.
The scammer said she needed to give the money to charity and that she had to return to Africa immediately because her family was being held hostage, Sessions said. She showed the Mukilteo woman official-looking documents and a roll of cash lined with $100 bills, police said. The woman also made a phone call — claiming to call her attorney — and told the Mukilteo woman they must go to a nearby fast-food restaurant to find a second person to help give the money to charity, Sessions said.
Once at the restaurant, they met the man, who said his name was Frank, Sessions said. The man left the restaurant and soon returned with a bag of jewelry and cash to show he wasn’t poor. The female scammer said she trusted him and gave him what she said was $90,000, Sessions said.
Then, she convinced the Mukilteo woman to drive to her own bank to withdraw cash, while the scammers waited across the street. The Mukilteo woman came out with $60,000; she tried to get more, but that’s the most the bank would give her, Sessions said.
Sessions said police don’t know precisely what the scammers told the woman to get her to withdraw the money.
Somehow, the pair convinced the Mukilteo woman to leave them alone with the cash, Sessions said. They were gone when she returned.
“These people are definitely focusing on seniors,” Sessions said. “It’s a case of a woman who fell for this, some fast talkers, and it all happened pretty quickly.”
The woman police are looking for is described as black, in her 30s or 40s, and standing up to 5 feet, 3 inches tall. She was wearing a wig, a pink blouse and black pants, and she spoke with a heavy accent, Sessions said.
The other reported scammer appears to be a Hispanic man between 35 and 45 years old, standing about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing an estimated 225 pounds. He was wearing a multicolored shirt and a flat hat with a snap button in the front, Sessions said.
Anyone with information about this is asked to call Lynnwood police detective Scott Dilworth at 425-670-5619.
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
