An alarming incident has emerged in which an elderly woman from Orange County alleges she was defrauded of over $11,000 by two men. The 82-year-old victim, approached by the duo at a Home Depot on West Colonial Drive in late March, recounted the unnerving experience which continues to trouble her.
The men reportedly engaged her with a story about a wallet discovered in the parking lot. Under their influence, she unwittingly agreed to let them accompany her in her car. She suspects that she was drugged, describing the ordeal as surreal and expressing how it felt as though she was being manipulated into handing over her money and jewelry.
Despite the distressing nature of the event, the victim felt compelled to share her experience, hoping to raise awareness about such scams. She described the perpetrators as men in their sixties or seventies, whom she encountered shortly after receiving assistance from a young man with loading mulch into her car.
The encounter began when one of the men presented a wallet, claiming to have seen another man drop it and hastily leave the scene. A second man joined in, corroborating the story and together they peered into the wallet, purportedly finding a note indicating it contained $62,000. The victim suggested turning it over to Home Depot’s front desk, but the men persuaded her otherwise, proposing instead that they split the money to avoid it being held by law enforcement.
The victim was then convinced to drive the men to a nearby Vision Works to evade surveillance cameras. Under their suggestion, she withdrew $11,000 from her bank, believing it was necessary to add to the pot for an equitable split. At no point did she feel fear or apprehension, freely surrendering her cash and jewelry, trusting the strangers completely.
Once the transaction was completed, the men left with promises to return, but they never did. It was only then that the realization of the scam dawned on her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and remorseful. Despite the emotional turmoil, she decided to confide in her daughter and aims to prevent others from falling prey to similar deceit.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office has launched an investigation through its Economics Crime Unit. The lead detective is actively pursuing all leads to resolve the case and secure justice for the victim.
