logo
Dickson County woman loses thousands to PayPal scam, deputies say

Dickson County woman loses thousands to PayPal scam, deputies say

Yahoo14-05-2025

DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — The Dickson County Sheriff's Office is warning residents after an elderly woman lost approximately $40,000 to a scam.
Investigators said the the woman received emails from what she believed to be PayPal on April 24 and 25, indicating a payment discrepancy.
According to the sheriff's office, the woman called the number on the email, which was then redirected to a location in India.
Report: Tennesseans lost millions in cryptocurrency scams last year, per FBI
Officials shared some of the conversation between the victim and scammer during another phone call.
'We have to take it back from you, that's what I'm telling you. Your bank and our bank is connected. Our payment is going to your account,' said the man on the other end of the call.
The man was reportedly able to look into the woman's financial data after she was convinced to download an app. Detectives said the scammers were then able to move money from one of her accounts to another one of her accounts.
After telling the woman that PayPal accidentally sent her bank account an excess amount of money, the scammers demanded that she take $40,000 out of her account to pay it back.
'They had her download an app on her mobile device, AnyDesk is the app they had her download, and with that app they gain remote access to your phone and anything on your phone, which in this case was her banking info,' said DCSO Captain Jennifer Caruthers.
Retired IRS agent imprisoned for bilking elderly woman of life savings
The victim reportedly withdrew the money from her bank and sent it to the scammers via a Crypto machine at a local market.
Officials said the scammers called the woman the following day for more money. However, this time deputies were listening in on the conversation.
'I already sent you the money; I'm not following,' said the victim on the call.
'Yes, I know that you have sent the money. You got a confirmation too,' replied the person on the other end of the call.
'They continued calling because when they had access to her bank account through that mobile app, they realized there were more funds available,' explained Caruthers.
The sheriff's office said they set up a sting operation after the victim refused to send more money, which led to the arrest of Roshandice McCullough of Texas.
According to investigators, McCullough was sent by the scammers as a courier to meet the victim at her bank.
'It's an active investigation, hoping it will lead to someone above her and someone above them,' said Caruthers. 'There will be other countries involved; there will be other states involved.'
McCollough has yet to speak with investigators. However, authorities told News 2 that she was arrested in Killeen, Texas for similar charges, adding that Texas officials want to prosecute her as soon as her court case is done in Dickson County.
The Dickson County woman has not recovered her $40,000, according to deputies.
'Do not pay anyone over a phone, don't go to a Bitcoin machine and make a large transaction like this, 9 times out of 10 it is a fraudulent charge,' warned Caruthers.
McCollough was booked in Dickson County Jail and charged with theft over $10,000.
Experts say to avoid falling victim to a scam, always log into your PayPal account directly through the website and do not click on links or numbers, which can be fake.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New Oklahoma law cracking down on Bitcoin ATM scams
New Oklahoma law cracking down on Bitcoin ATM scams

Yahoo

time20 hours ago

  • Yahoo

New Oklahoma law cracking down on Bitcoin ATM scams

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – A new law is cracking down on scammers using Bitcoin ATMs to steal your money. Senate Bill 1083 was authored by Sen. Darrell Weaver (R-Moore) and Rep. Mark Lepak (R-Claremore), and it introduced ways to protect Oklahomans from falling victim to these scams. Cryptocurrency ATMs look like regular ATMs and allow people to conduct legitimate cryptocurrency transactions. However, they can also be used to carry out fraudulent activity. Service Oklahoma warns residents of text scam These scams are on the rise across the nation. In 2024, the FBI had more than 10,956 complaints about these kiosks, with $246.7 million stolen. Oklahomans alone lost $37.7 million to cryptocurrency-related scams, including scams related to cryptocurrency ATMs. 'They prey on the vulnerable, which I really don't like, and that's what they do,' said Sen. Weaver. Victims are coerced to deposit cash, which unknowingly goes right to the scammer. News 4 reported last year about an elderly lady who lost her entire life savings to a bitcoin ATM. A scammer pretended to be a federal agent and convinced her that her identity had been stolen and the only way to protect her money was to convert it into cryptocurrency. 'I never thought it would happen to us, and she's humiliated, she's embarrassed, she's doubting her choices, and she's a smart woman, she's bright, and so it's heartbreaking,' said Jamie Moore, whose mother was scammed. This new law will help in scenarios like that one. 'Right now, in states across the country, these cryptocurrency ATMs are very unregulated,' said Joy McGill, advocacy director, AARP Oklahoma. Under the new law, all kiosks will be licensed and tracked by the state. 'We'll figure out where they're at, what the process is if there is a fraud, how they can go about it, and getting the bankers involved in this, the banking authorities involved in this is very key,' said Sen. Weaver. There will also be daily transaction limits, along with fraud warnings on the machines. Victims will also be able to seek refunds if they are reported within 14 days to the police and the kiosk law will go into effect on November 1. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Man drives to North Nashville fire station after being shot, police say
Man drives to North Nashville fire station after being shot, police say

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Man drives to North Nashville fire station after being shot, police say

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — An investigation is underway following a shooting that left a motorist injured in Nashville Tuesday night. According to Metro Nashville dispatch, the incident was called in shortly before 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10 from an address in the 1700 block of Dr. DB Todd Jr. Boulevard that's listed as Nashville Fire Department Station 11. 1 dead, 1 in custody after shooting in Madison The Metro Nashville Police Department told News 2 that a man was shot in the shoulder while driving a rented Tesla. He reportedly drove to the fire station after realizing he'd been shot and was transported to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with a non-life-threatening injury. Officials said the victim told investigators he heard gunfire while nearing the intersection of Clarksville Pike at Rosa Parks Boulevard. Woman injured in shooting at Whites Creek Pike gas station Detectives are still working to determine the vehicle and suspect involved in the shooting, according to authorities. No additional details have been released about this ongoing investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Pedestrian dead after being hit while walking along Murfreesboro Pike
Pedestrian dead after being hit while walking along Murfreesboro Pike

Yahoo

timea day ago

  • Yahoo

Pedestrian dead after being hit while walking along Murfreesboro Pike

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A pedestrian died after he was struck by a minivan on Murfreesboro Pike near Edge O Lake Drive Tuesday night, according to Nashville authorities. The Metro Nashville Police Department said the preliminary investigation indicates a Dodge Caravan was heading southbound when it hit a man, who was walking in a traffic lane, around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10. Community remembers woman killed while walking dog in Germantown Law enforcement reported the 44-year-old man was brought to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he died. Officials are working to notify his family. Police said the driver of the Dodge stayed at the scene, adding that there were no signs of impairment. ⏩ No additional details have been released about Tuesday night's collision. Meanwhile, authorities told News 2 on Wednesday, June 11 that there have been 39 fatalities from crashes so far this year, including five pedestrians and six motorcyclists. For the sake of comparison, there were reportedly 116 deaths from crashes, 33 of whom were pedestrians, in 2024. 📲 Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go.📧 Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox.💻 for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store