Latest news with #AleahMcPherson
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Yahoo
Atlanta woman lost $8K on scam call from fake Wells Fargo employee — take these steps to keep your cash safe
Aleah McPherson's bank account is $8,265 lighter these days. Sadly, the funds disappeared after she fell for a scam by someone impersonating a Wells Fargo employee, leaving McPherson and her fiancé devastated by the loss. Don't miss "That was my savings. That was actually what I have been working for a while," McPherson told Fox 5 Atlanta last month. She hopes that her story will serve as a warning to others so that they don't fall victim to similar fraud and be left without their hard-earned money. How a phone scam led to a huge loss According to McPherson, the trouble started when she received a phone call from a 1-800 number associated with Wells Fargo to alert her to a serious problem. "Wells Fargo bank informed me there was fraudulent activity," she said. "They will call you if there's fraudulent activity on your account, so I didn't think there was anything out of the ordinary. I've had this happen before." The scammer told McPherson she'd have to transfer her money out of her account to keep it safe while an investigation was carried out. McPherson believed she'd confirmed that she was actually talking to her bank, so she followed their instructions and emptied her bank account, sending the money via Zelle and a Chase digital wallet. Although she thought moving the funds would protect them while Wells Fargo investigated the fraud, the reality is that the money disappeared into the accounts of the scammers. Adding insult to injury, she also explained that the scammers mocked her for falling for their tricks. "Once you're done talking to them, they're all laughing in the background. They are telling you that you've been scammed and laughing." Sadly, McPherson is one of many who have fallen victim to scams in which thieves pretend to be trusted organizations, including financial institutions or government agencies. These scams are called phishing or spoofing scams, and the FBI's 2024 Internet Crime Report revealed 193,407 complaints about them during the year, with victims collectively losing over $70 million.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Acworth woman falls victim to $8,265 scam
The Brief An Acworth woman lost $8,265 in a scam. Someone claimed to be a Wells Fargo employee to warn her of fraudulent activity on her account. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident as a theft by deception-felony case. ACWORTH, Ga. - The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office is investigating a felony theft by deception case. This after an Acworth woman lost more than $8,000 in an elaborate scam by someone posing as a bank employee. The backstory In a series of transactions using Zelle and a Chase Bank digital wallet, Aleah McPherson transferred a total of $8,265 out of her Wells Fargo account. But when she tried to access the transferred funds, they were gone. The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office confirmed it is investigating the case as theft by deception, a felony offense. What they're saying Aleah McPherson said she received a call from a number associated with Wells Fargo. The caller claimed there was suspicious activity on her bank account and urged her to take immediate action to protect her money. "This is Wells Fargo Bank. There's been fraudulent activity on your account," McPherson recalled the caller saying. Having experienced similar alerts in the past, McPherson said she didn't think much of it. "I didn't think it was anything out of the ordinary. I've had this happen before," she said. McPherson said the caller told her to withdraw her money for safekeeping while the issue was being "investigated." "You need to, basically, take out your money so that you have it protected while we investigate," she was told. "That was my savings. What I've been [saving] for a while," McPherson said. "Once I was done talking to them, I heard laughing in the background. They are telling you you've been scammed — laughing." McPherson and her fiancé, Clever Eternal, said they hope their experience serves as a warning to others. "Go to the branch if something might be fraudulent," Eternal said. "I don't even want to pick up the telephone." What you can do Wells Fargo, while unable to comment on McPherson's specific case, emphasized that customers should remain vigilant. The bank offered the following tips to avoid falling victim to similar scams: Don't share personal information over the phone or through unverified digital platforms. Don't trust caller ID — scammers can spoof legitimate numbers. Don't allow yourself to be pressured into making a transaction. The Source FOX 5's Kevyn Stewart spoke with Aleah McPherson and her fiancé, Clever Eternal, for this article. Wells Fargo provided a statement.
