Couple falls for elaborate scam to the tune of a $47,000 loss: South Euclid Police Blotter

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio

Fraud: Talmaga Drive

A man and his wife, both 46, reported Oct. 12 that they were the victims of a scam after receiving a pop-up message on their computer suggesting that it had been infected with a virus.

They called a number that was listed with the message and believed they were speaking with Microsoft’s IT support team.

They were first convinced to purchase $2,000 worth of Target gift cards and provide the redemption codes so that they could protect hackers from withdrawing their money online. After doing so, they were then connected to whom they were told was the CIO for their bank.

That man explained that fraudulent transactions were pending against their account and that they needed to take action to protect their money.

They were told to take money from their bank and convert it into Bitcoin at various Bitcoin machines. They were also given a script of what to say to bank employees if they were questioned about any withdrawals.

The couple went as far as going to a pawn shop to pawn their vehicles so they could immediately get money, since their bank told them that the funds for a home equity loan would take 30 days to receive. The pawn shop told them that federal law prohibited them from such transactions.

The scammers continued to call the couple for days and threatened to refer their case to the FTC, which caused them to panic.

They finally suspected that they had been scammed after they lost contact with everyone they had spoken with. They learned that the Target gift cards had been depleted, and they could not access the $45,000 they converted into Bitcoin.

Theft: Glenridge Road

A man called from a business around 5 a.m. Oct. 14 to report that someone had just cut the catalytic converter from his truck and ran into the woods with it.

Responding officers did not locate the suspect. The value of the part was estimated at $1,225.

Theft: Warrensville Center Road

Walmart loss prevention reported Oct. 10 that an employee had stolen more than $2,000 from the store. The Cleveland man, 19, was subsequently charged with theft.

Fraud: Mayfield Road

A resident reported Oct. 14 that she had discovered a fraudulent transaction of $676 on her credit card for an online purchase from Walmart.

She said the previous day, she had used the card at Taco Bell and McDonald’s in the city. She suspects an employee from one of the businesses of stealing the information from the card.

Domestic violence: Prasse Road

A woman, 45, was arrested for domestic violence Oct. 17 after an incident at her home involving her 18-year-old son.

Video of the woman striking the man on his head with her hands and a blunt object were recorded on a cell phone.

Stolen vehicle: Sherbrook Road

A woman reported Oct. 15 that her vehicle had been taken by her ex-boyfriend without her permission. She said the man came to her home while she was away and took the vehicle.

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