Chatham County police help woman recover $80,000 as fraud cases rise

by Cam McCann

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - An elderly woman in Chatham County nearly lost $80,000 after being targeted by scammers, according to Chatham County Police.

Chatham County Police Chief Jeff Hadley said the woman avoided losing the money by trusting her instincts and calling police.

Scam calls on the rise

Chatham County Police say scam calls are increasing. Hadley said fraud cases are among his biggest concerns.

“The scammers are very sophisticated and good at what they do,” Hadley said.

“It could happen to anybody. I mean do you know anybody that hasn’t been tried to be scammed? I think that’s a fair question, people have tried to scam me,” Hadley said.

How scammers pressure victims

Hadley said scammers get people to send large amounts of money by rushing them and making them fearful about the security of their money.

“They create this sense of urgency, and they keep you on the phone they keep you on the phone they keep you on the phone,” Hadley said.

Hadley said people should watch out for AI voice modulation, fake texts and fake calls, even when they seem legitimate.

“No banking institution is going to have you take money out of your account and send it to somewhere else,” Hadley said.

Fake law enforcement calls

Hadley said scammers also make fake calls claiming to be from law enforcement agencies. He said one person reported being told they were in a fake Chatham County Sheriff’s Office waiting room.

Hadley said all of these scams are aimed at obtaining money.

“First of all, it ain’t gonna happen so hang up the phone, stop, check, protect,” Hadley said.

Resources available

Chatham County Sheriff’s Office – Phone Scams: https://sheriff.chathamcountyga.gov/Community/Scams – Warns about law-enforcement impersonation / jury-duty scams; deputies never call for payment; call (912) 652-7600 to report.
Chatham County Police Dept. - Tip line https://police.chathamcountyga.gov/Tips - Serves unincorporated Chatham County. To report fraud/scam for the first time, call 24/7 non-emergency(912) 652-6500to have an officer take your report.
Savannah PD – Online Reporting (Identity Fraud): https://savannahpd.org/online-reporting/ – File identity fraud reports; for Chatham Co. PD also report financial scams fast to improve recovery chances.
GA Attorney General Consumer Protection: https://consumer.georgia.gov/resolve-your-dispute/how-do-i-file-complaint – Georgia agency investigating scams, with recovery and older-adults guides.
FTC Report Fraud: https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/ – Report scams to help stop scammers.
FTC Identity Theft Recovery: https://www.identitytheft.gov/ – Step-by-step recovery, checklists, sample letters.
FTC What To Do if You Were Scammed: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed