How a Good Samaritan helped save a North Texas woman from a $40,000 scam

On Thursday, Myndi Jordan happened to stop by the Chevron gas station off of Cherry Lane in White Settlement and noticed something that prompted her to call 911.

“As I approached the ATM, the lady was standing here, frantically with a bunch of money, putting 100 dollar bills into the machine," Jordan said.

She said the woman was on a video call with another man, who was giving her instructions and asking to see the ATM screen.

“I said, ‘Ma’am, do you know them?’ and she said, ‘No, I’ve got to do this right now.’” She’s very upset. She’s visibly upset," Jordan recalled.

Sgt. James Stewart with the White Settlement Police Department arrived on the scene.

“Please, I have the bank on the phone," the elderly woman told Stewart, according to body-camera video of the incident.

"Ok, let me talk to who you’re talking to at the bank," Stewart responded.

"I’m in danger, and this is Chase Bank," she said.

"No you’re not, ma’am," he replied.

Police said the alleged scammer was posing as a Chase Bank security employee.

They said he'd been hounding the victim for a few days, arranging for a rideshare to pick her up from her home and take her to the bank-- even providing the backstory of what she should tell her bank when they questioned why she was withdrawing $40,000.

Police said the suspect then arranged for another rideshare to take the victim to a convenience store with an ATM and, when she couldn't find a Bitcoin ATM, had the rideshare take her to the Chevron off of Cherry Lane in White Settlement.

According to police, the victim had already deposited $23,900 before Sgt. Stewart arrived.

"I know dozens of times personally over my career, I have had to take so many reports after the fact. After it’s too late. After the people have already transmitted the money and it’s gone," Stewart said.

He said he was thinking about all those victims when he confronted the suspect on the phone on Thursday.

"You’re done speaking with this nice lady," Stewart can be heard saying in body-camera footage.

The alleged scammer doesn't let up, continuing to ask the victim to press buttons.

“Listen to me! She is not clicking on anything," Stewart told the suspect.

He eventually ends the transaction.

“It has nothing to do with vulnerability, really. It has to do with the terror and the bullying that these people do to them," said Stewart, who said he was thinking about his own mother, who is only a couple years younger than the victim.

Investigators said they have been able to contact Bitcoin and arrange for the victim's already-deposited money to be sent back.

“The only thing that could’ve made it better is if I could’ve gotten my hands on him. I would’ve loved to have taken him to jail," Stewart said.

Now, White Settlement Police want people to be aware.

“It’s very easy to be coerced into giving up your life savings out of fear of going to jail," Stewart said. “They had her banking account information, they were able to give her, tell her what her recent banking transactions had been.”

He said just because a call shows up as your bank, doesn't mean it's true — scammers can spoof numbers.

He said the best thing to do is hang up and call your bank's branch directly, using the number listed on the bank's website.

"It’s important to note that financial banks will never request withdrawal of funds," the department said in a press release.

Jordan, who has fallen victim to a similar scam in the past, said she was glad to be in the right place at the right time.

“All I could think of, is, 'This lady is here all by herself. Scared to death.' And I would want somebody to help my grandmother, my mom—help me in that situation," she said. “It’s devastating. It can ruin your life in a matter of moments. Your entire life savings could be gone."

She and Stewart say the victim hugged them for their help.

“She hugged my neck and she told me, 'Thank you.' She said I saved her and I don’t feel like that was the case, I just feel like as a community we have to look out for each other," Jordan added.

TIPS TO AVOID A SCAM

If someone calls and claims to work with your bank, hang up the phone and call the number on the back of your debit or credit card. That advice should ring true if you hear from someone who claims to be from the IRS, the Social Security Administration or another institution.

Here are other tips to avoid a scam:

• Do not share your PIN, passcode, text message code, or any other access information to your accounts with anyone who requests it.
• No government, authority, financial institution, or reputable business will ask you to send or transfer money through Bitcoin. 
• Don't rely on caller ID. Scammers can make calls and texts look like they're coming from our bank.
• If you feel uncomfortable or suspicious with any request you receive by phone, text, or email, hang up or don't respond. Reach out directly on your bank's website or call the phone number on the back of your debit or credit card or on our bank statement.

HOW TO REPORT A SCAM

If you believe you were scammed, the FTC says start by contacting the company or bank that issued the credit card or debit card to report the fraudulent charge. It may be too late to reverse the charges, but ask them to get your money back.

You can report the scam to the FTC and the Texas Office of the Attorney General .

The FTC offers additional steps here.