Pierce County woman says scammers stole $117K as husband enters hospice care
Pierce County grandmother loses everything in $100k scam
A Pierce County grandmother says she lost more than $100,000 to a sophisticated phone scam at the worst time in her life, as her husband is in hospice care and may only have weeks to live.
PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - A Pierce County woman says she lost about $117,000 to an elaborate phone scam while caring for her husband in hospice, leaving her uncertain how she will pay her bills after the man she has cared for through years of declining health dies.
Charlotte Tripp said the scam unfolded at what she describes as the worst possible time in her life. Her husband of 17 years, who has dementia, recently entered hospice care after suffering a rapid decline following hip surgery and a urinary tract infection.
"Basically, he can go any day now," Tripp said. "I’m trying to concentrate more on my husband to give him the time he needs."
Instead, she said she has spent hours dealing with banks, law enforcement and mounting financial problems after scammers convinced her to drain her accounts.
Scammers target wife of hospice patient
The scheme began after Tripp said she unknowingly entered her debit card information on what she believed was Costco’s website while trying to buy a barbecue grill. The transaction failed, prompting her to call her bank and cancel her cards.
A few days later, she received what appeared to be a legitimate call from someone claiming to be with Wells Fargo’s fraud department.
Believing the call was connected to the fake website, Tripp said she followed the caller’s instructions.
"The guy said he was from Wells Fargo Fraud Department and that I needed to get to the bank immediately and withdraw $20,000," she said.
The caller instructed her to stay on the phone while she was inside the bank and told her not to tell employees what was happening, claiming bank tellers were involved in the fraud.
After withdrawing $20,000, Tripp said the caller directed her to deposit the cash into an ATM using a QR code. He then told her investigators needed additional money to protect her accounts and instructed her to obtain a cashier’s check for $49,500 and deposit it into another account.
Throughout the ordeal, Tripp said she believed she was helping investigators secure her money.
Instead, she said the scammers gained access to her accounts, emptied her checking account, maxed out her credit cards, transferred $10,000 from her line of credit and obtained a $23,000 loan in her name.
"They not only took all the cash out of my checking account, which was probably about $32,000, plus all the money on the credit cards," Tripp said. "They also took out a $23,000 loan in my name."
Financial losses devastate family
She estimates her total losses at about $117,000.
Tripp said she now faces an uncertain financial future. She relies on Social Security disability benefits, which she said are already less than her monthly mortgage payment. She expects to lose her husband’s income when he dies.
"Everything they took was what I was going to live on for the rest of my life," she said.
Automatic payments have bounced after the bank closed her compromised accounts. She said she has received a water shutoff notice and cannot make her mortgage or car insurance payments.
"What am I going to do if I get stuck with $79,000 that Wells Fargo is telling me I owe because I was frauded because I authorized it?" Tripp said.
She said the scammers even called back the following day and attempted to steal more money.
"I told him he was a scammer," Tripp said. "I said, ‘Are you happy with what you’ve done?’"
Detectives investigating senior scams
The Pierce County Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
Deputy Carly Cappetto, the department’s public information officer, said scammers frequently prey on older adults and people facing stressful or emotional circumstances.
"This is a very unfortunate event that actually happens to more people than most people think," Cappetto said.
She said fraudsters often create a false sense of urgency while isolating victims from anyone who might recognize the scam.
"They’ll tell you, ‘Don’t go to a Wells Fargo teller, because they’re in on it, too. Don’t go to law enforcement, because they’re in on it, too,’" Cappetto said. "That is the huge red flag that people need to understand. They are trying to prevent you from going to get help."
Cappetto urged people to let calls from unfamiliar numbers go to voicemail, independently verify claims by contacting their bank through a known phone number and discuss unexpected financial requests with trusted family members before taking action.
"If somebody is creating fear and emergency in you, to move money or transfer money or to take money from you, you should be asking yourself, ‘Could this be fraud?’" Cappetto said.
She added that many fraud operations originate outside the United States, making investigations and recovery of stolen money extremely difficult.
Tripp said she has since obtained the account number where the cashier’s check was deposited and turned that information over to investigators in hopes it could help identify those responsible or recover some of the money.
She has also started an online fundraiser to help cover expenses while the investigation continues.
Despite the financial devastation, Tripp said she hopes sharing her story will prevent others from becoming victims.
"Just don’t fall for somebody that says they’re from someplace," she said. "Verify it. Call them back. Call the number that you find online. Verify that that person really works there before you do anything."
For Tripp, however, the greatest loss has been the time spent dealing with the fraud instead of focusing on her husband’s final days.
"I’ve had days where I just sat down and just cried and cried and cried," she said. "I can’t believe this is happening right now at this time of my life when my husband’s getting ready to pass away."
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The Source: Information in this story comes from original reporting by FOX 13 Seattle anchor David Rose.