Woman loses life savings and husband’s insurance after falling for scammer impersonating feds: ‘I couldn’t believe it happened’
Florida woman loses nearly $150,000 after being convinced to move cash in scam
- An 80-year-old Florida woman, Patricia Toder, lost nearly $150,000 in an elaborate “phantom hacker” scam.
- Scammers impersonated government employees, convincing her she was under investigation for money laundering and needed to move her funds, including her deceased husband's life insurance, to a secure location.
- She was instructed to withdraw large sums of cash and purchase gold bars, which were then collected by individuals she believed were government couriers.
- Between 2020 and 2024, the number of over-60s losing at least $100,000 to such scams increased fourfold, with total losses rising from $55 million to $445 million.
- The FBI and Federal Trade Commission advise against clicking unsolicited links or calling random numbers, urging individuals to contact their bank or agency directly if asked to move money.