Fraud scheme costs Volusia grandmother $13,000, family says

Volusia County is offering a $25,000 reward for information on recent fraud schemes

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is warning of a scam where suspects use ride-share drivers to unknowingly pick up cash from the victims.

Sheriff Mike Chitwood said there have been several cases during the past month where crooks have gotten away with tens of thousands of dollars.

Dalton Bond said a couple of weeks ago, his grandmother was a victim. He said she received a phone call from someone claiming to be an attorney for her grandchild, after a hit-and-run vehicle crash arrest.

[RELATED: ‘Scumbag scam artists’ using Uber drivers to collect stolen money from seniors, sheriff says]

“They had someone in the background, a female, crying, pretending to be my sister saying not to tell my mom and dad. Not to tell anybody and that she needed help and that she needed to get out,” Bond said.

Bond said that his grandmother handed over about $13,000 to someone she thought was an Uber driver, picking up the money for the person on the phone.

“They went through security as is, and then when they got to where she was, they kind of put a disguise on,” Bond said.

[TRENDING: Some vaccines more effective than others? | Ranking Disney World rides: Here’s the list | DeSantis gets J&J jab]

Bond said that he hopes whoever is responsible for taking the cash is caught.

“That’s sickening you know,” Bond said. “I just don’t want it to happen to other people.”

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in the recent cases.


About the Author

Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.

Recommended Videos