A Kansas City woman has recently fallen victim to scammers, while authorities in Clay County continue to see a rising trend in scams.
It all started with a phone call, Lucia Hanna was contacted by an individual posing as a family member.
“There was this person who advised me that it was my daughter and sobbing and crying," said Hanna.
The caller, playing as Lucia's daughter had told her she was involved in an accident with another individual and was being held at the courthouse.
“They said I couldn't see her until I paid the bail. And at this point, it was all about the bail," said Hanna.
Little did Hanna know, she was then part of a big scam.
"We went through the day they asked they told me that they talked the judge down from $25,000 to $15,000," said Hanna. "My first thought was, oh, thank God I'm gonna be able to get money. I had a little fund I had set aside for years."
Hanna went to her bank where she was instructed by the caller not to answer to any questions. After withdrawing $15,000, Lucia was shocked by what she learned after.
"I was going to go out to the courthouse to get my daughter and she calls me and I am like "you sound different. You don't sound like you did", said Hanna. Her daughter replied, "Mom, what are you talking about, there is nothing wrong with me". That's when I realized I had been scammed."
Authorities in Clay County have seen a trend in more scammers contacting specifically the most vulnerable.
“It happens more often than we like to think. It's a daily occurrence. They're constantly out there doing it," said Sergeant Chris Johnson with the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
The county has been working diligently with other agencies to track scams, Sergeant Johnson said it's important for people to report them immediately.
“The more information that we put out on a daily, monthly basis, the better off it is," said Sergeant Johnson. "Hopefully it will start deterring some of this activity.”
While scams continue to grow across Kansas City, Hanna wants others to stay vigilant.
“Be leery of everything," said Hanna. "Be on guard and don't think it can't happen to you.”
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