A Coweta County deputy is being praised for quickly acting to prevent a 93-year-old man from becoming the victim of a costly phone call scam.
Last month, deputy Colby Tyus went to the elderly man’s home in Sharpsburg after the man sent $14,000 in cash to a California address. The man was told by a scammer that the money would cancel an erroneous online subscription renewal.
The man told Tyus that the incident began when he received an email that claimed his Microsoft Defender subscription had been auto-renewed at a price of $199.99, according to an incident report obtained by AJC.com. The email provided a phone number to call if that renewal — which never truly took place — was made in error.
When the man called, he was told to provide computer and bank account access so a return could processed, the report said. The scammer, who went by the name “Allen Parker,” then told the 93-year-old to go to his bank and take out $14,000 in cash to help finalize the return.
The man was told to put $500 between every four pages of an old book and mail it to an address in Glendale, Calif., which would complete his refund, the report said. On July 8, which was a few days after the man mailed the stash of cash, he began to get nervous and decided to involve authorities.
Instead of passing on the incident to a detective, which is typical protocol, Tyus acted quickly to hunt down the pricey package. It had been shipped via FedEx, and the deputy was able to intercept it before the scammer could receive it, the report said.
The large amount of cash, along with the book, were returned to the 93-year-old man later in July, according to photos provided by the sheriff’s office.
Credit: Coweta County Sheriff's Office
Credit: Coweta County Sheriff's Office
The sheriff’s office said this is a reminder to be vigilant of potential scams, which often target elderly residents. The FBI previously told AJC.com that it receives about 20 to 25 internet fraud and scam complaints from Georgia residents each day.
It’s unclear if authorities have charged the scammer in this case or if there is an active investigation into the scammer’s operation.
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