Police investigate after woman cheats elderly out of thousands

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Fraud detectives in Charlotte are hoping for help in identifying a woman who may have cheated elderly women out of thousands of dollars.

Police released a picture of that woman captured by a surveillance camera at a bank at the Arboretum where police said she had convinced an 87-year-old woman to give her $4,000 on Wednesday.

The suspect in this case indicated she had a great need. One victim said she thought the woman needed to make a house payment or was going to lose her house.

Sgt. Walt Bowling said once the victim bought the story, the suspect got into her car and had her drive to a Bank of America branch nearby and withdraw $4,000.

Police said she may have also been the woman who convinced an 81-year-old woman to give her $1,000 after the two met at the Cotswold shopping center in August.

"She just came and opened my door and got in the seat of my car, the front seat with me," the woman, who did not want to be identified, told Eyewitness News.

She said that the suspect told her that she had found money in the parking lot but that she needed more to leave her abusive husband and move to California.

The victim said that she drove to a bank across the street and withdrew $1,000, and shortly after she gave it to the suspect, she disappeared.

"All of the sudden I came to my wits and I thought what in the world have I done?!" she said.

WSOC