Scam Artists Bilk $20K from 87-Year-Old Woman in Pigeon Drop Scheme
Police are searching for a male and female who perpetrated the scheme near Capitol One Bank in White Oak.
Montgomery County Police are looking for a man and woman who scammed an 87-year-old woman out of more than $20,000 in cash and jewelry.
The victim told police she was walking beside a woman around 11 a.m. on June 19 after purchasing groceries from Giant in White Oak. The women were approached by a man holding a black bag filled with cash.
The man asked if the bag belonged to the either of the women, police said, and when they answered that it did not the man offered to split the money between the three of them. The man said he worked for nearby Capital One Bank and that each woman would need to put up $20,000 in good faith in order to split the bag of money.
The female accomplice immediately agreed and produced the sum in cash, according to police. The victim agreed as well and, with the woman by her side, withdrew $15,000 from her bank. She went home and gave the man over $10,000 in jewelry.
The victim said she returned to the parking lot of White Oak Shopping Center and saw that the man was gone, with the woman quickly following. She called police from Capital One Bank, located at 11261 New Hampshire Ave., and officers arrived at 2 p.m., according to police.
Officers from the Financial Crimes Section are looking for the man and the woman.
The woman was described by witnesses as a white female in her late 30s to 40s, about 5-foot, 4-inches tall with a round face. The description says she carried a big purse. A surveillance image reveals that she had dark hair. One witness said that the woman may have been wearing a dark-colored wig and that her hair may actually have been blonde. She was wearing black slacks and a green blouse at the time of the con.
The man is described as a black male in his late 30s to 40s, about 6 feet tall with a medium build, short black hair and no facial hair. Police said he was described as a "fast talker." He was wearing a white shirt and tie on the day of the scam, police said.
Police are asking anyone with information about the crime or the suspects to call the financial crimes section at 240-777-6330. Anonymous calls can be made to 240-773-TIPS (8477). Anonymous tips can also be provided by typing “MCPD” plus the tip on a cell phone or PDA and texting it to 274637 (CRIMES.)
