GREENSBORO, N.C. — This story is all about what is caught on camera. When you first see this video, it seems to show people who know each other, the greeting is friendly, but the beginning of the video only tells a part of the story.
What the security camera of an apartment building caught, was a crime. Two elderly women are sitting outside on the driveway. A car pulls up and the people inside approach the woman.
One of the car riders hugs the woman and then shows her a necklace. Apparently, she tells the woman the necklace is worth $200 dollars and puts it around the elderly woman's neck.
“My mom said no, I already have one necklace. They put the other necklace around my mom's neck. Left the one that is fake and took the real one,” said Haik Ld, the victim’s son.
He says the in-broad daylight crime didn’t stop there. Another woman and a boy approach the women sitting in their driveway, touching their hands. He says they were trying to get their rings off.
There was no yelling, no commotion. The thieves didn't physically hurt the women, but they did steal from them.
Most of the time, you don't get a video of it happening.
This family in California is serving as our example, we all need to keep our guard up. If it’s happening in one city, in one state, it eventually makes its way around.
If something like this happens, you should call your local police department. This is just one of many scams out there. If you feel that you or someone you know has been the victim of fraud or if you have a new senior scam to report, contact our Consumer Protection Division or call toll-free within North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. If you've been a victim of a grandparent scam, please visit our Help for Victims information.