HOUSTON, Texas – An 80-year-old Houston woman lost a total of $76,000 in two separate incidents, including a robbery in which $19,000 in cash was stolen, according to Houston Police.
The woman was robbed at a Midtown convenience store on July 12. Security camera footage released Thursday shows two suspects approaching the victim from behind and stealing an envelope containing $19,000 in cash.
The woman brought money to deposit into a cryptocurrency account, following the advice of a scammer named “Jennifer,” who convinced her to withdraw her funds, claiming that her bank account had been hacked.
According to police reports, the scammers further manipulated their victims by instructing them on what to do if a bank teller questioned them about their withdrawal and by convincing them to install an app that gave the scammers control over their phones and cryptocurrency accounts. The victims had deposited a total of $57,000 into their accounts over the course of several days before the robbery.
The suspect, who fled the scene in a black car, remains at large as police continue to investigate. Authorities believe the robbery and fraud may not be directly related and are treating them as separate incidents.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, the Houston Police Department has highlighted that cryptocurrency-related scams have increased by 900% over the past three years and urged the public to remain vigilant against such scams.
Secrecy and high-pressure tactics are often signs of a scam, so victims are advised to check with their bank if they suspect anything.
