Sandy Springs Victims Fall Prey to Common Scams

Recently, a woman put a college book up for sale on Craigslist for $50, according to Sandy Springs Police. She was contacted by a woman named Cheryl Bennett, who sent a $1,450 check (for the $50 book) with instructions to keep some and send $1,200 to Cynthia Moore at 423 Karen Street, Hewitt, Texas.

Bennett said the money was to cover other items being sent. 

The victim sent a MoneyGram to the address for $,1200 and $95 in transaction fees. The suspect called and said she needed another MoneyGram Sent for $1,200. Soon after, he bank informed the victim the check sent to her was fraudulent. The victim never mailed the book. 

Last week, an 86-year-old Sandy Springs woman reported that she was contacted by phone from someone she assumed was her nephew. A little doubtful, she asked him questions that only he would know and apparently he answered them correctly. He told her he was in Mexico and in a cab that was stopped by the police and then the cabbie had had marijuana in the car so all of the occupants went to jail. 

He said he needed $1,377 wired via Western Union to a phone number. He said for her to ask for Rick Farley, who was handling the bail money. 

The victim went to a nearby Publix and wired the funds. She returned and called Rick Farley and gave him the necessary information and waited on her nephew’s call. When the call never came, she contacted her nephew by his phone number and found that he was never in Mexico and she had apparently been scammed.