Elderly Warned About Phony Bank Investigators

Police are warning senior citizens, especially widows, about a team of swindlers posing as bank security investigators.

Investigators believe the team, operating the classic pigeon drop scam, targets widows through obituaries and tries to steal their savings, Fullerton Police Sgt. Steve Matson said.

“They prey on the elderly because they know people in that age group usually have secure savings and are receiving life insurance checks,” Matson said. He said the team apparently targeted two women, both in their 70s, last week.

The first incident occurred March 8 when a man claiming to be a security investigator at a woman’s bank called and told her a bank teller was suspected of stealing from customer accounts.

The impostor told her she could assist in the investigation by withdrawing about $4,200 from her account so that bank officials could mark it, redeposit it and use it as a trap to catch the thief.

The woman called police.

Several days later, the second victim received the same call and agreed to the demands, handing over $4,500 to a man in a parking lot.

“This is a classic scam,” Matson said. “It’s unfortunate that this happens to people, but I must stress, this is truly, truly one crime people can prevent.”

Police asked that anyone who has been contacted by people identifying themselves as bank examiners call Fullerton police, (714) 738-6715.