Elderly men target of scam in Mount Olive
By Catharin Shepard
Published in News on December 14, 2010 1:46 PM
Mount Olive police are warning residents to be wary of a woman in town reportedly befriending elderly men and asking them for money.
Police have received several reports that a white female, estimated to be in her 40s, is exploiting elderly men and asking them for cash. The subject, who was not specifically identified by police, is allegedly introducing herself to single, older men in the community, doing small household tasks for them and then telling a "sob story" and asking for money, police said.
As long as the individuals are giving the subject their money freely, there is little that police can do to address the situation, Chief Ralph Schroeder said.
"They need to be careful about people asking for money," he cautioned.
The subject in question might stay around the individual for a longer period of time, asking for more and more money, Maj. Brian Rhodes said.
"It starts out with a small amount ... then it elevates from there," he said.
Residents and family members of the elderly should be on the lookout for any subject seeking money from them, and to be careful about giving money to people they do not know very well, officers said.