1 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:14,240 Speaker 1: Crime stories with Nancy Grace. Stop what you're doing, just 2 00:00:14,320 --> 00:00:18,200 Speaker 1: for a moment and think about your mother. Now, think 3 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:22,279 Speaker 1: about your grandmother, because right now I'm thinking about my grandmother, 4 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:30,120 Speaker 1: Lucy Minerva Fullwood Stokes Hartley, and how she had nothing. 5 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,800 Speaker 1: And I remember one time I couldn't pay a phone 6 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: bill long distance to my fiance Keith as soon you 7 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: still had to pay a long distance And I went 8 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:43,280 Speaker 1: to hers stupidly, unwittingly, and she had nothing and needed 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: money to pay that phone bill. And she went to 10 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,760 Speaker 1: her change purse and she opened up real change purse 11 00:00:50,280 --> 00:00:55,360 Speaker 1: and she took out fifty dollars and gave me her money. 12 00:00:55,960 --> 00:01:01,240 Speaker 1: And I, this stupid team that I was, when thanks 13 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: and ran out and paid the bill, not realizing that 14 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:14,479 Speaker 1: that fifty dollars was a huge amount of her monthly 15 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: government payment for a retirement. Okay, just but she gave 16 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: me that little bit, you know that she had, and 17 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:29,080 Speaker 1: of course I never paid it back. God forgive me. 18 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:32,120 Speaker 1: That's who my daughter's named after. Lucy is named after 19 00:01:32,160 --> 00:01:35,200 Speaker 1: my grandmother Lucy that helped raise me. Okay, now that 20 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:37,480 Speaker 1: you've got the male image of your mother or your 21 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:44,800 Speaker 1: grandmother in your mind, think of some po s technical 22 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 1: legal term that actually scams your grandmother, try to rip 23 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: her off of her little money. He needs to be 24 00:01:59,160 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 1: under the jail. I have nobody disagrees with that. Maybe 25 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,960 Speaker 1: Troy Slayton, high profile defense attorney, might disagree with me. 26 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:11,680 Speaker 1: Take a listen to arqet A. This is Karen Dylan 27 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:14,720 Speaker 1: CBS two. The quick thinking of this seventy three year 28 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: old Seaford grandmother who only wants her first name used. Jean, 29 00:02:17,919 --> 00:02:21,079 Speaker 1: is being credited for taking down an alleged predator. I 30 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: knew he was a real scammer. I just knew he 31 00:02:23,760 --> 00:02:26,000 Speaker 1: wasn't going to scam me. The former nine one one 32 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: dispatcher says Thursday morning, she received a call from someone 33 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 1: claiming to be one of her grandsons. The caller said 34 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: he had been arrested for drunk driving and was in jail. 35 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:37,560 Speaker 1: He starts Chloe me grandma, and then I'm like, I 36 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: don't have a grandson that drives, So I knew it 37 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: was a scam. Jean says that she immediately knew the 38 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 1: call was a hoax, but decided to play along for fun. 39 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 1: After several calls back and forth, a person claiming to 40 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,440 Speaker 1: be her grandson's lawyer told her he needed eight thousand 41 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:52,799 Speaker 1: dollars for bail. I told him I had the money 42 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 1: in the house, and I figured he's not going to 43 00:02:54,280 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: fall for that. Well he fell for that Hooklyn. Meantime, 44 00:02:58,480 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: Jean also called police. When a man pretending to be 45 00:03:01,080 --> 00:03:03,919 Speaker 1: a bill bondsman arrived to collect the cash. She handed 46 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: him an envelope filled with paper towels waiting officers, and 47 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: then pounced and took twenty eight year old Joshua Estrella 48 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,960 Speaker 1: Gomez from Minneola into custody. Do you know how close 49 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:22,000 Speaker 1: this beloved grandma came to real harm? I mean it, See, Grace, 50 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: this is crime Stories. Thank you for being with us 51 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: here at Fox Nation and series XIM one eleven, and 52 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: with me right now the former nine one dispatch employee, Jean. 53 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: Are we still not using your last name? Jean? Sure 54 00:03:38,480 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 1: you can use it, Jeane Everett? Did you hear that? 55 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 1: I love that accent so much, Miss Ebert, Miss Everett 56 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,640 Speaker 1: joining me from Long Island with her son Rusty. You 57 00:03:50,760 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: better be taking care of her Rusty. Oh yes, also 58 00:03:55,920 --> 00:03:57,760 Speaker 1: with me at all start a panel to make sense 59 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: of what we're learning right now about this this let 60 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: me just say, very clever grandma who lures a scammer 61 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: to her house and single handily gets this guy arrested. Man. 62 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: We don't have a whole lot of happy endings here 63 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:20,760 Speaker 1: on crime stories, but I've got one today and PTL 64 00:04:20,920 --> 00:04:24,120 Speaker 1: praise the Lord with me. High profile defense attorney out 65 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,679 Speaker 1: of La Troy Slayton, renowned psycho analyst to the stars, 66 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 1: Doctor Bethany Marshall, former FBI special agent at Jeff Cortesi 67 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:38,719 Speaker 1: dot com Jeff Cortesi, Tampa, Terry, America's leading personal safety expert, 68 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:43,720 Speaker 1: author of the Personal Protection Handbook, and special guests, joining 69 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 1: us along with Miss Ebert. Robert Brodsky breaking the Reporter 70 00:04:47,839 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: with Newsday. First of all, to you, Miss Ebert. What happened? Well? 71 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:56,760 Speaker 1: I was texting my son asking him what he was 72 00:04:56,800 --> 00:04:58,760 Speaker 1: going to do for the day, and was kind of 73 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 1: boy doing my cross work puzzles in the morning, and 74 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,880 Speaker 1: the house phone rings. The only reason old people have 75 00:05:04,880 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 1: a house phone is so they can find their cell phone, 76 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 1: so I usually don't answer it, but for something, some reason, 77 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: I just picked it up and I hear a guy 78 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,360 Speaker 1: on their crying saying he's been in an accident and 79 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: At first, I thought it was one of my son 80 00:05:19,120 --> 00:05:21,359 Speaker 1: in laws who has that weird sense of humor. I 81 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,719 Speaker 1: thought it was him falling around. But the minute he 82 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: called me grandma, I knew that it was a scammer. 83 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: So I texted my son and I said, I have 84 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 1: a scammer on the line, and he texted me back 85 00:05:34,839 --> 00:05:38,360 Speaker 1: and he says, hang up, ma, And that hang up 86 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 1: ma from a forty year old to a seventy three 87 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,480 Speaker 1: year old just kind of like challenging yours. I don't 88 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:46,920 Speaker 1: know what happened, but I didn't hang up. Okay, how 89 00:05:46,960 --> 00:05:50,440 Speaker 1: did you know immediately that this was a scammer? Well, 90 00:05:50,480 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 1: I've worked at nine one one for a long time 91 00:05:52,520 --> 00:05:54,839 Speaker 1: and I have taken calls from people who want to 92 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: file a report because they've been scammed, and my brain 93 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:02,400 Speaker 1: always thought, how do you let this happen? But now 94 00:06:02,640 --> 00:06:05,279 Speaker 1: I have a little bit more respect for them, because 95 00:06:05,560 --> 00:06:10,920 Speaker 1: these scammers are good. Scammers are good. Okay, let me understand. 96 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:15,400 Speaker 1: Tell me very slowly, Miss Everett with me is a 97 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:23,599 Speaker 1: very clever grandma who single handily gets a felony amount scammer. 98 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:30,120 Speaker 1: We're talking eight thousand dollars scam arrested, single handily by 99 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:34,279 Speaker 1: luring him. Let's just say she's no idiot. She didn't 100 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,039 Speaker 1: just fall off the turnip truck. To you, Miss Jeane Everett, 101 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:41,800 Speaker 1: joining me, tell me exactly how the conversation went. Okay, 102 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 1: So after the person pretending to be my grandson gives 103 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:49,480 Speaker 1: me a case number and a phone number and tells 104 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 1: me this is the municipal court building. They're trying to 105 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,520 Speaker 1: get him a lawyer. And he tells me to call 106 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 1: that number. So then we say goodbye. Oh. The last 107 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,600 Speaker 1: thing I said to him before I said goodbye was listen, 108 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: don't tell your mother. She will be mad. Let me 109 00:07:04,560 --> 00:07:08,159 Speaker 1: handle this. Don't call your mother. And I think that's 110 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: kind of what sucked them in because I'm keeping it 111 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: to myself. They like that scammist, Oh, they love it. 112 00:07:14,280 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: They love it. You know. I have a case in 113 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,200 Speaker 1: my book to you, Tampa Chi, author of the Personal 114 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: Protection Handbook, which is awesome. In my book, Don't Be 115 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:28,559 Speaker 1: a Victim, where a lady, an elderly lady much older 116 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:33,320 Speaker 1: than Miss Everett, bought into a guy scam and she 117 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:35,960 Speaker 1: kept doing it and doing it and doing it. She 118 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: didn't want her family to know what she had done. 119 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 1: That she had been scammed out of her whole life savings. 120 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:47,000 Speaker 1: Every penny had mortgaged the house on this scam. And 121 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:50,920 Speaker 1: in the end, Tom she shot herself because she didn't 122 00:07:51,200 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: want her family to know well awol. So when we 123 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: look at these situations, first understand the mindset of these scammers. 124 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: They really do their homework. They do as much as 125 00:08:04,800 --> 00:08:08,160 Speaker 1: they can on Intel Google, knowing where the house is, 126 00:08:08,240 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: knowing who lives there. In all, I mean, this is 127 00:08:10,320 --> 00:08:13,920 Speaker 1: pre set. And though they're vicious and what they do 128 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 1: in taking our money, they're smart methodical on how they 129 00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 1: do it. They cater to either need to help someone 130 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:23,720 Speaker 1: or the greed for wealth of someone. That's the only 131 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: way they do it. They want to put you in 132 00:08:25,520 --> 00:08:27,760 Speaker 1: pity mode, you know, like in this case with this, 133 00:08:28,000 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: you know, with the situation, or in the wealth case 134 00:08:31,960 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: of you know, listen, somebody left you xy and and 135 00:08:35,120 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: they get you down there. You know. The best way, 136 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: the smartest way on any scan is always asked for 137 00:08:41,440 --> 00:08:46,240 Speaker 1: a callback number and a number for the supervisor. Okay, 138 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,560 Speaker 1: I guarantee you they will hang up in about three seconds. 139 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: You know. We worked on this a lot when I 140 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: was at the Federal Trade Commission. Where I did consumer 141 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: protection and antitrust work, and we had a lot of 142 00:08:58,960 --> 00:09:02,720 Speaker 1: phone scams. So miss Ebbert, you told me that the 143 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: very beginning when he said did he call you grandma? 144 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: He called me grandma, right, and he was telling me 145 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,520 Speaker 1: he was in an accident. And my oldest grandson is 146 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: in the eighth grade, so I know, you know, I 147 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 1: knew where he was and I know he wasn't driving, 148 00:09:18,679 --> 00:09:23,800 Speaker 1: and just from where I worked, and being aware. Part 149 00:09:23,840 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: of the whole thing is the media. If they get 150 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,559 Speaker 1: out the message to these old people who are really 151 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 1: sitting at home wondering, you know, or this is happening 152 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 1: to that, maybe they'll think, oh yeah, what about that 153 00:09:35,320 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 1: lady on TV who didn't fall for it? You know, 154 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:54,520 Speaker 1: exactly thing real yet awareness Prime Stories with Nancy Grace. 155 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:00,400 Speaker 1: Robert Ruski with me from Newsday Breaking the Are you 156 00:10:00,200 --> 00:10:02,440 Speaker 1: sure you porter? Robert, thank you so much for being 157 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:04,559 Speaker 1: with us. Tell me how you first learned about miss 158 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 1: Ebert and what you know. The mass Up Police Commissioner, 159 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: along with the new County Executive of the County of Nassau, 160 00:10:10,720 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: held a news conference to alert the public about this 161 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 1: scam and to also give credit to Gene for her 162 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: ingenuity and creativity in taking and helping to take down 163 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: this perpetrator, to also announced this individual's arrest and to 164 00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:30,040 Speaker 1: talk about how the public can prepare themselves against being 165 00:10:30,080 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 1: a victim of this scam as well. What didn't we 166 00:10:32,040 --> 00:10:36,079 Speaker 1: know about this guy, Robert Brosky, this Joshua Gomez. So 167 00:10:36,160 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: what we know so far is that mister Gomez has 168 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: had no prior arrests prior to this incident. He was 169 00:10:43,720 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 1: charged with a third degree attempted grand larceny, that's a felony. 170 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,760 Speaker 1: He was initially released on a disk appearance tickets. He 171 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: was due back February third. He was released on his 172 00:10:54,840 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 1: own recognizance on February third. There was a protective order issued, 173 00:10:59,679 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: so he can't have any contact with Jeane. We should 174 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 1: also say that when Jeane when mister Gomez was arrested, 175 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:10,800 Speaker 1: Jane was on the phone with a second individual at 176 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: the moment, So there is undoubtedly a second individual involved 177 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,160 Speaker 1: in this crime. I spoke with Nationale Police yesterday. Has 178 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 1: not been a second arrest yet made in the case, 179 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:24,360 Speaker 1: but it is an open investigation. They say, Frosky, you're awesome. 180 00:11:24,840 --> 00:11:27,200 Speaker 1: So I didn't even know there was a potentially second 181 00:11:27,280 --> 00:11:31,920 Speaker 1: person involved in the scam on Miss Ebbart, but it 182 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 1: makes it there could be two or three. I bet 183 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:37,120 Speaker 1: they're doing this to a lot of people. I wonder 184 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,800 Speaker 1: where they're getting the names and numbers of the grandma's, 185 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:46,960 Speaker 1: the seniors guys before we call her grandma. Take a 186 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: listen to ar cut one Eileen La Palmer at these twelve. Hello, Hi, 187 00:11:52,559 --> 00:11:55,680 Speaker 1: this is ring doorbell video of a man who police 188 00:11:55,720 --> 00:11:58,800 Speaker 1: say thought he was going to rip off a Seaford 189 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:02,560 Speaker 1: grandma for eight thousand dollars. Police say twenty eight year 190 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: old Joshua Estrella Gomez of Minneola was posing as a 191 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:10,080 Speaker 1: bail bondsman. The victim had been told her grandson was 192 00:12:10,120 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 1: in jail. But watch what happens after he gets the 193 00:12:13,800 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: envelope that takedown because seventy three year old Jean was 194 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,480 Speaker 1: onto the scam and already had police in her house. 195 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 1: As we told you about first last night. She is 196 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,400 Speaker 1: a former NASSA nine one one call operator and reached 197 00:12:31,400 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: out to cops as soon as she got a phone 198 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:38,000 Speaker 1: call from a man claiming to be her grandson. He said, 199 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 1: I'm in jail. They say I was under the influence 200 00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: today Jean getting praise from the police commissioner. She's not 201 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 1: afraid of these guys. You know, she goes what she 202 00:12:47,720 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 1: had to do, and you know, God bless her talent, 203 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:51,640 Speaker 1: God bless her. But it could have turned out so 204 00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:56,199 Speaker 1: much differently with this guy actually coming to your house. 205 00:12:56,280 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: I mean, doctor Bethany Marshall, what kind of a freak, 206 00:13:01,160 --> 00:13:04,760 Speaker 1: what kind of a degenerate would pray on a grandma 207 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: actually get out the trouble of going to her house 208 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: to get the money? Nancy, This happened to my ninety 209 00:13:11,200 --> 00:13:14,480 Speaker 1: two year old dad a few months ago. Somebody calls 210 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 1: him from out of the blue and says, Grandpa, this 211 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:21,200 Speaker 1: is so and so one of the names of one 212 00:13:21,240 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: of his grandchildren. I've been thrown in jail again for DUI. 213 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: And you know you're asking, first of all, how he 214 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: knew it was a scammer? Is they didn't call him 215 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:36,320 Speaker 1: Grandpa John, they called him Grandpa Definitely. He felt so 216 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,560 Speaker 1: stupid and foolish afterwards, even though he hung up on 217 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,920 Speaker 1: the scammers. So people who get scammed, I mean, our 218 00:13:42,960 --> 00:13:46,400 Speaker 1: guest has been a ninety one one operator is really 219 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: on her toes. So she knew what was happening. But 220 00:13:48,760 --> 00:13:51,360 Speaker 1: there are a lot of seniors out there who get 221 00:13:51,400 --> 00:13:55,520 Speaker 1: scammed and then they're so demoralized they don't want to 222 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:58,920 Speaker 1: tell anybody. But back to your question about who would 223 00:13:58,920 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: do this, people who lack a conscience, Nancy, because they're 224 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:07,199 Speaker 1: not just taking money from billionaires. They're taking money from 225 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:11,600 Speaker 1: older people who are maybe on Social Security or limited income. 226 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,120 Speaker 1: And they're not just taking one hundred dollars, they're taking 227 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:18,839 Speaker 1: in this case, eight thousand dollars. So these people are 228 00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: at the bottom of the barrel in terms of lacking 229 00:14:22,360 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 1: a conscience. Guys, in this case thanks to the victim. 230 00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: I guess I could call a victim is she's sure 231 00:14:29,440 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: turned the tables on him. Grandma Jean Ebert. It doesn't 232 00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:37,000 Speaker 1: always turn out with a happy ending. Take a listen 233 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,760 Speaker 1: to This is about the case that we investigated I 234 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:45,520 Speaker 1: told you about earlier hour cut six. This is actually 235 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 1: Angela Stands testimony at the Senate Aging Committee. My grandmother 236 00:14:51,040 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: was targeted and pursued NonStop by a ring of fraudsters. 237 00:14:55,080 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: Over time. These individuals used creative and cunning tactics to 238 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: gain her trust. They told her she had won a 239 00:15:02,000 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 1: large cash prize and all she needed to do was 240 00:15:04,800 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: pay the taxes and fees. I first realized my grandmother 241 00:15:08,640 --> 00:15:11,479 Speaker 1: was a victim of elder fraud by the last conversation 242 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: I ever had with her, reliving that phone call, it's 243 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:17,960 Speaker 1: very painful. She explained that she needed six thousand dollars 244 00:15:17,960 --> 00:15:21,480 Speaker 1: wired to her as soon as possible. Her forceful tone 245 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 1: and desperation was very upsetting. I could hear the panic 246 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 1: in her voice, and she was very, very afraid. This 247 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 1: phone call set off many red flags, and everyone grew 248 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 1: extremely concerned about her financial situation. We do not know 249 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 1: of a single time in her entire life where she 250 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 1: ever borrowed money from an individual. My father informed me 251 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 1: that he had wired her eight thousand dollars the week prior, 252 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:50,840 Speaker 1: and he assured me he was trying to find out 253 00:15:50,920 --> 00:15:55,120 Speaker 1: what was happening. How did it end Take a listen 254 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:59,560 Speaker 1: to our cut. Eight after her death, we found out 255 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,080 Speaker 1: just how much these criminals had taken from her. We 256 00:16:02,160 --> 00:16:06,160 Speaker 1: found hidden in a closet several bags full of wire 257 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,840 Speaker 1: receipts where she had been sending large sums of money overseas. 258 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:13,920 Speaker 1: My family visited these wire marketing services to talk with 259 00:16:13,960 --> 00:16:17,440 Speaker 1: the clerks and discovered that they had warned her that 260 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:20,680 Speaker 1: this was not legitimate and they believed it was a scam. 261 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: She continued to wire money, but used a different location. 262 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,960 Speaker 1: We also discovered not only did they drain her of 263 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 1: all the money it took her a lifetime to save, 264 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:31,720 Speaker 1: but that she had taken out a reverse mortgage on 265 00:16:31,720 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: her home and she cashed out all of her life insurance. 266 00:16:35,040 --> 00:16:39,240 Speaker 1: My grandmother died with sixty nine dollars in her bank account. 267 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 1: You know how hard my father worked and his goal 268 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,800 Speaker 1: was to try to leave something to his children when 269 00:16:47,840 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: he passed away. I remember that he would actually go 270 00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 1: to work with chess pains to go to work on 271 00:16:54,560 --> 00:16:57,880 Speaker 1: the railroad. That's how hard he worked. And when I 272 00:16:57,920 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: think of this, Grandma, Angela stan SI's grandma, take a 273 00:17:03,200 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 1: listen to our cut for the way that they kept 274 00:17:07,680 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: reaching her was through a method called spoofing. Listen. My 275 00:17:13,320 --> 00:17:17,920 Speaker 1: grandmother was targeted and pursued NonStop by a ring of fraudsters. 276 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:25,639 Speaker 1: Robocallers targeted eighty two year old Marjorie Jones. We found 277 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 1: hidden in a closet several bags full of wire receipts 278 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:34,760 Speaker 1: where she had been sending large sums of money overseas. 279 00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 1: Her granddaughter Angela Stanzi, testified before the US Senate. It 280 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: was a ten person ring in Costa Rica. It was 281 00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:50,480 Speaker 1: a call center and they focused on calling people. They 282 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: posed as representatives of the US Security and Exchange Commission 283 00:17:56,000 --> 00:18:01,639 Speaker 1: and also the FTC and using call spoofing technology. Spoofing 284 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:04,399 Speaker 1: tricks people into believing the call is coming from a 285 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:08,120 Speaker 1: specific location. The last phone call I had with her, 286 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 1: she was extremely adamant about needing this money. You were 287 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,240 Speaker 1: just hearing our friends at ABC ten describing the spoofing 288 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 1: technique that was used. Now opposed to that case, the 289 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:24,680 Speaker 1: case here with miss Jean Ebert had a very different ending. 290 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, take a listen to our cut. 291 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:34,080 Speaker 1: See this is body camp footageybody want to talk to 292 00:18:34,160 --> 00:18:37,600 Speaker 1: the guy on the phone? Up? I guess he realized 293 00:18:37,640 --> 00:18:41,719 Speaker 1: what happened to you, Miss Ebert, the so called clever 294 00:18:41,960 --> 00:18:46,280 Speaker 1: grandma that lured a scammer to his own arrest. Is 295 00:18:46,320 --> 00:18:48,840 Speaker 1: that you in the background saying does anybody want to 296 00:18:48,840 --> 00:18:50,560 Speaker 1: talk to the guy on the phone? Oh? He hung up? 297 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:55,320 Speaker 1: I guess he realized what happening? What happened? That's me? Well, 298 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:57,040 Speaker 1: I had a guy on the phone. That must have 299 00:18:57,040 --> 00:18:59,960 Speaker 1: been fifteen phone calls. This took place over a period 300 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:04,359 Speaker 1: of three hours, and my son knew I was doing it. 301 00:19:04,440 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: He knew I was playing around. I don't believe that 302 00:19:07,440 --> 00:19:09,880 Speaker 1: the scam and knew who I was. But the minute 303 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:13,880 Speaker 1: he thought he had somebody on the line, he started 304 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:17,040 Speaker 1: investigating me because I used my middle name, and at 305 00:19:17,080 --> 00:19:19,480 Speaker 1: some point he asked me who Helen was. He was 306 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: looking at my address and who lives here and stuff 307 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,560 Speaker 1: like that, so I do think he investigated me. I 308 00:19:27,600 --> 00:19:31,000 Speaker 1: actually went on Facebook and on my profile I took 309 00:19:31,040 --> 00:19:34,159 Speaker 1: off retired one one one upright, because I think if 310 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:36,560 Speaker 1: he looked at Facebook could see that he'd hang up. 311 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 1: That's why I really at in the beginning, maybe for 312 00:19:40,040 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 1: the first hour and a half of conversations, I didn't 313 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:46,320 Speaker 1: really think it was going to happen. And then once 314 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: he told me I don't. I think he told me 315 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:53,120 Speaker 1: he knew where I lived from my grandson telling him, 316 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:56,119 Speaker 1: which is not really true, but he made that up. 317 00:19:56,800 --> 00:20:00,480 Speaker 1: I don't think I evigate him my address because he 318 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: didn't have a grandson's name of mine. He actually, during 319 00:20:05,680 --> 00:20:07,879 Speaker 1: one of the phone calls, just before I got to 320 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,679 Speaker 1: talk to the lawyer end of it. I was talking 321 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 1: to someone in the municipal court. He asked me what 322 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 1: my grandson's name was. So I took the first name 323 00:20:17,680 --> 00:20:20,199 Speaker 1: of one of my son in law's, Emmanuel, and the 324 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:22,600 Speaker 1: last name of one of my other son in law's Muro, 325 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,800 Speaker 1: and made up a name. And then he says to me, 326 00:20:24,840 --> 00:20:27,000 Speaker 1: hold on, let me see where he is in the system. 327 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,160 Speaker 1: It comes back five minutes later and he says, oh, 328 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,640 Speaker 1: I see him. We appointed a lawyer for him named 329 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,600 Speaker 1: Matt Levine. Mean, while I just made this name up. 330 00:20:47,920 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 1: Time stories with Nancy Grace Chroyce Layton, what do you 331 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,120 Speaker 1: think about that if a scammer was to use your name, 332 00:20:57,280 --> 00:20:59,440 Speaker 1: you know, he looked up a lawyer in town and 333 00:20:59,520 --> 00:21:03,040 Speaker 1: just used the name awful. And that actually happened to 334 00:21:03,080 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: me once. I got a call from a bail bondsman 335 00:21:05,960 --> 00:21:09,840 Speaker 1: who called my office and was said that he was 336 00:21:09,880 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: calling me back and that somebody using my name had 337 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: contacted him and tried to get the bail bondsman to 338 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 1: bail the person out just based on my good faith 339 00:21:22,600 --> 00:21:25,520 Speaker 1: and credit. And the bail bondsman reached out to me 340 00:21:25,760 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: and obviously figured out that that was a scam. But 341 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 1: I my hats off to this savvy grandma who was 342 00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: able to not only have fun with the scammer, but 343 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,480 Speaker 1: also got him caught by law enforcement. Although I wouldn't 344 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:47,919 Speaker 1: recommend that anybody actually do that and have the person 345 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,680 Speaker 1: come to their house because this could have turned out 346 00:21:51,080 --> 00:21:55,960 Speaker 1: quite differently to Russie. Ever, this is Jane's son. Tell 347 00:21:56,040 --> 00:21:59,520 Speaker 1: me your recollections of this day. Well, I was just 348 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:02,199 Speaker 1: home to I was home too at my house, and uh, 349 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,840 Speaker 1: you know, we do text every day. I talked to 350 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,639 Speaker 1: my mom every day and she was telling me, and 351 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 1: you know, I didn't play no attention to it because 352 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:11,280 Speaker 1: it does happen quite often. You know. She does get 353 00:22:11,280 --> 00:22:14,399 Speaker 1: these calls and you know all these other you know, 354 00:22:14,760 --> 00:22:19,040 Speaker 1: tell the marketing calls and stuff. So um, then she 355 00:22:19,080 --> 00:22:22,560 Speaker 1: started telling me that, uh, you know that they're getting 356 00:22:22,560 --> 00:22:25,120 Speaker 1: the police involved. I called my sister that actually works 357 00:22:25,119 --> 00:22:26,800 Speaker 1: at a police department, and I said, hey, you gotta 358 00:22:27,240 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: call your mother. Man, I don't know what she's doing 359 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:33,520 Speaker 1: over there. And then and then it just happened so quick. 360 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:36,160 Speaker 1: I just you know, I actually have I set up 361 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:40,120 Speaker 1: on her ring doorbell, so I got to see what happened, 362 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 1: like live on the Ring. I love the ring, Doorbell, 363 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:49,920 Speaker 1: I love it. Oh boy keeps setting it off all 364 00:22:49,960 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: the time. Hey, Jeff Cortes Firmer, FBI Special Asian and 365 00:22:54,119 --> 00:22:57,720 Speaker 1: Jeff Cortesi dot Com author a public rruption in the US. 366 00:22:58,160 --> 00:23:02,399 Speaker 1: Jump in, Jeff. Yeah, I've been doing this with you 367 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: a little bit off and on over the last three years. 368 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,040 Speaker 1: And this is the closest thing to a Nancy Grace 369 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,119 Speaker 1: feel good moments I've ever been a part of it. 370 00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:13,600 Speaker 1: And I'm so glad to be on it U with 371 00:23:13,680 --> 00:23:16,639 Speaker 1: a story like this and ending like this, because, as 372 00:23:16,680 --> 00:23:18,480 Speaker 1: it's been pointed out, I think all of us have 373 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:22,199 Speaker 1: a story. I have two, three, four personal stories of 374 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 1: elder abuse, elder fraud, victimization within you know, my circle 375 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:31,560 Speaker 1: of family and friends. Sounds like we all do. The 376 00:23:31,680 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 1: volume of this is through the roof and it's a 377 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:39,119 Speaker 1: high volume crime because it's a high success rate, you know, 378 00:23:39,160 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: when when you put the numbers together. Thank God for 379 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: the savvy of this woman and the awareness. You know, 380 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:47,439 Speaker 1: at the end of the day, let's if we've got 381 00:23:47,480 --> 00:23:49,439 Speaker 1: to educate our families, We got to educate our our 382 00:23:49,520 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: loved was. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't. 383 00:23:53,000 --> 00:23:56,720 Speaker 1: If it's too good to be true, it probably is. Uh. So, 384 00:23:56,880 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: you know, Dancy, if I could jump in about this 385 00:23:59,320 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 1: for a second, stop you yes, no way, go ahead. No, 386 00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,040 Speaker 1: it is to feel good moment. I mean, it's wonderful 387 00:24:07,160 --> 00:24:10,920 Speaker 1: to hear his grandmother, who had all this experience being 388 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,879 Speaker 1: a nine one one caller, was incredibly resilient, had loving 389 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: support and family around her. She's tech savvy, so she 390 00:24:19,080 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: could go on and off Facebook. She had every psychological resource. 391 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: But for every gene, there are thousands and thousands of 392 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 1: men and women who are not that with it, aware, resilient. 393 00:24:35,240 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: There are a lot of victims in society, Nancy. That's 394 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:39,480 Speaker 1: why you do this show. And I just want to 395 00:24:39,480 --> 00:24:42,479 Speaker 1: say that there are stages when people get scammed like this. 396 00:24:42,640 --> 00:24:45,920 Speaker 1: If they're not resilient like a gene. Often they're cut 397 00:24:45,920 --> 00:24:48,400 Speaker 1: off from family or they feel guilty, so they don't 398 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,880 Speaker 1: tell the people around them. They develop a quick rapport 399 00:24:52,359 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: with the scammers, and so they make quick promises like oh, sure, 400 00:24:57,640 --> 00:25:01,120 Speaker 1: I'll be happy to call the balesman or whoever. And 401 00:25:01,160 --> 00:25:04,880 Speaker 1: then because they've made a promise, they feel guilty about 402 00:25:04,960 --> 00:25:08,879 Speaker 1: backing out. These scammers alienate them from friends and loved 403 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: ones by saying, you know, don't tell anybody about this 404 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: until this transaction is complete. And just like sexual abuse victims, 405 00:25:16,119 --> 00:25:19,960 Speaker 1: they start to blame themselves to feel demoralized, and then 406 00:25:20,000 --> 00:25:22,600 Speaker 1: they don't reach out for help, and so it's the 407 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:25,919 Speaker 1: same victimization cycle that we talk about again and again. 408 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:29,200 Speaker 1: This is a total triumph and a total success story, 409 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:33,959 Speaker 1: but unfortunately most people are vulnerable to being victims and 410 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: they really need to learn from this. It's it's a 411 00:25:35,720 --> 00:25:40,000 Speaker 1: really imforable situation. Guys, we are talking about a clever 412 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,679 Speaker 1: granny that actually turned the tables on a guy that 413 00:25:44,840 --> 00:25:49,200 Speaker 1: was trying to scam her out of eight grand I'm 414 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:55,879 Speaker 1: very curious as to Robert Brodsky, how many times this 415 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:01,520 Speaker 1: particular perp, Joshua Gomez, had done the same thing. Any 416 00:26:01,560 --> 00:26:04,399 Speaker 1: idea me Can they get that information from his cell phone? 417 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:07,280 Speaker 1: That's a great question, Nancy. As of now, I just 418 00:26:07,480 --> 00:26:10,480 Speaker 1: as I said earlier, he's never been charged, so we 419 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:13,600 Speaker 1: can imagine that this is probably not his first road. 420 00:26:13,760 --> 00:26:15,800 Speaker 1: It's probably not the first time he's ever tried to 421 00:26:15,880 --> 00:26:20,120 Speaker 1: do this scam. But we know that these scams are 422 00:26:20,119 --> 00:26:22,640 Speaker 1: happening all the time on long Island all the time 423 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:27,520 Speaker 1: in Nassau County. This incident happened in the first the 424 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:31,200 Speaker 1: third week of January, just about it. In perspective, there 425 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,399 Speaker 1: had already been one hundred and sixty five reported scams 426 00:26:35,400 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: of a similar nature in the first three weeks of 427 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 1: twenty twenty two, so you can imagine right at this 428 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: point it is probably a close over two hundred to 429 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty times. What's unusual about this case 430 00:26:48,040 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: is most times we see in Long Island. I can 431 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:53,520 Speaker 1: speak for myself as well, we just simply hang up. 432 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: We just avoid. It's not worth the time and the effort. 433 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,160 Speaker 1: So so many of these cases never even get reported. 434 00:26:59,440 --> 00:27:02,880 Speaker 1: Wherever you two hundred and fifty cases reported the first 435 00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,960 Speaker 1: six weeks of the year, there's probably five times as 436 00:27:06,000 --> 00:27:12,160 Speaker 1: many that just never get reported. Well, this savvy grandma says, 437 00:27:12,240 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: and I quote, I told him I had the money 438 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 1: in the house, and I figure he's not going to 439 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 1: fall for that. Well, he fell for it hook line 440 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 1: and sink her. Actually, Nancy, yeah, I told this is 441 00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: what I told him. I told him I was getting 442 00:27:27,359 --> 00:27:29,919 Speaker 1: my kitchen remodel. When he asked for the eight thousand 443 00:27:29,960 --> 00:27:32,800 Speaker 1: and I said I'm getting my kitchen remodeled. The cabinets 444 00:27:32,840 --> 00:27:36,479 Speaker 1: are coming next week, and my contractor asked me to 445 00:27:36,520 --> 00:27:39,560 Speaker 1: pay for them in cash. So I do have the 446 00:27:39,680 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: money in the house. And he says to me, this 447 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:45,239 Speaker 1: is Matt Levine, the lawyer. He says, do you know 448 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:48,960 Speaker 1: why your contractor asked you to pay in cash? And 449 00:27:49,000 --> 00:27:51,159 Speaker 1: I said, I acted dumb. I said no, I have 450 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 1: no idea. He says, because he's not going to pay tax. 451 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,040 Speaker 1: And my brain went so he is the pot calling 452 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 1: the kettle black. This guy trying to tell me my 453 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:05,000 Speaker 1: imaginary contractor is crooked and he's trying to scam me, 454 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,840 Speaker 1: scare me at eight thousand dollars. Took everything I can 455 00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:13,160 Speaker 1: do not to crack up. Oh my goodness, you made 456 00:28:13,200 --> 00:28:17,920 Speaker 1: me laugh for about the first time today. Okay, Russy Everett, 457 00:28:18,040 --> 00:28:21,960 Speaker 1: did you have any idea? Your mom is so savvy? 458 00:28:22,280 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: Just yeah. When I was younger, I I never got 459 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:31,840 Speaker 1: away with anything. Okay, guys, you need to listen. You 460 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:34,119 Speaker 1: did too, Yes, you did, I know you did? Like 461 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,359 Speaker 1: to any listen. I worked at nine one one and 462 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:40,160 Speaker 1: this kid was driving since he was three years old. 463 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:42,720 Speaker 1: When he put the car in reverse and rolled it 464 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,760 Speaker 1: across the street into my neighbor's fence. And then when 465 00:28:45,760 --> 00:28:48,920 Speaker 1: he had his permit and didn't have his license, I 466 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,640 Speaker 1: would hear from all the cops in the era, take 467 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:54,400 Speaker 1: the keys, hide the keys, runs he's out again. I 468 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:57,360 Speaker 1: couldn't wait till he got his license. Russie Everett, don't 469 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,400 Speaker 1: you know better than I trying to tell a lie 470 00:28:59,480 --> 00:29:18,840 Speaker 1: with your mom. I'm listening crime stories with Nancy Grace. 471 00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:25,800 Speaker 1: We are talking about an actual success story in finding crime. 472 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: Jane Ebert, age seventy three, actually takes down a scammer, 473 00:29:31,480 --> 00:29:35,960 Speaker 1: has him arrested and hauled off out of her front yard. 474 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: Take a listen to our cut b our friends at 475 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,720 Speaker 1: CBS two. Police say the suspect was arrested and charged 476 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: with attempted grand larceny in the third degree. He was 477 00:29:45,440 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: issued a desk appearance ticket and will be arraigned on 478 00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:51,320 Speaker 1: February third. Police a elder scams like this one are rampant. 479 00:29:51,600 --> 00:29:54,720 Speaker 1: Officers are asking the community to be on alerts. Speak 480 00:29:54,760 --> 00:29:58,120 Speaker 1: to your families, speak to your neighbors, visit those that 481 00:29:58,160 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: are vulnerable. Let them don't listen to these scams. These 482 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:04,320 Speaker 1: individuals sit at home. I have nothing else to do 483 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,160 Speaker 1: but think of a way to take advantage of our 484 00:30:06,200 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: elderly Jean is also asking people to watch out. So 485 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:11,920 Speaker 1: I feel I got you, and I feel like, like 486 00:30:11,960 --> 00:30:14,880 Speaker 1: you say, so many people fall for this and you 487 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:17,400 Speaker 1: only hear about it on the other end after they've 488 00:30:17,440 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 1: lost eight thousand dollars. She hopes her story will serve 489 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,920 Speaker 1: as a cautionary tale for others and is glad no 490 00:30:23,000 --> 00:30:26,280 Speaker 1: one was hurt in the process. Jean Everett, were you 491 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:30,479 Speaker 1: ever physically afraid that this guy would charge into the 492 00:30:30,480 --> 00:30:33,760 Speaker 1: house and steal or hurt you? Basically, I was having 493 00:30:33,920 --> 00:30:40,480 Speaker 1: fun right up until the bail bondsman part. Maybe this 494 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:44,040 Speaker 1: thing took three hours. The last hour the police were here, 495 00:30:45,160 --> 00:30:48,640 Speaker 1: and then about forty minutes after the police got here, 496 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: he was under arrest. What happened is the bail bondsman 497 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,280 Speaker 1: was in Jersey, he was in Brooklyn. He was all 498 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: over and the guy kept giving me instructions what to write. 499 00:31:00,160 --> 00:31:02,480 Speaker 1: He gave me a file number, he gave me a 500 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 1: case number, how to put it on the envelope, and 501 00:31:05,760 --> 00:31:08,760 Speaker 1: he kept Then he would three or four calls later 502 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:10,959 Speaker 1: he would say, what does it say on the envelope? 503 00:31:11,000 --> 00:31:13,120 Speaker 1: And I would have to read everything back to him. 504 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:15,160 Speaker 1: I guess he wanted to see that I was really 505 00:31:15,160 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: doing it. But then he says to Melt. The last 506 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:23,560 Speaker 1: two phone calls, he says to me, well, as luck 507 00:31:23,600 --> 00:31:27,000 Speaker 1: would have it, I have an operative who just finished 508 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,880 Speaker 1: a job in Massapequa. And I look at the cops, 509 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:32,440 Speaker 1: and the cops look at me. Massapequa is the next 510 00:31:32,480 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: town where my two daughters lived, and so he says 511 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 1: he's on his way, he'll be there and under ten minutes. 512 00:31:40,440 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: So the cops go flying out of the house. They're 513 00:31:43,560 --> 00:31:45,920 Speaker 1: getting their cars that are sitting in front of my house, 514 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 1: and they take them down to the firehouse and they 515 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 1: come back and within five minutes the guy was here. 516 00:31:52,000 --> 00:31:55,680 Speaker 1: That ten minutes of saying he's less than ten minutes away. 517 00:31:55,920 --> 00:31:58,200 Speaker 1: I was a little scared for the cops for me, 518 00:31:58,480 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: what if he has a gun? I didn't, And it 519 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:04,760 Speaker 1: went down perfectly. Even the bad guy did what he's 520 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: supposed to do. He didn't fight, he didn't resist a rest, 521 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 1: he didn't get beat up. Nothing bad happened to him. 522 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:16,080 Speaker 1: You know, miss Everett, you played him like a settle. 523 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:22,360 Speaker 1: You're like a concert violinist the way he played this guy. 524 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,880 Speaker 1: And to you. Robert Brodsky joining us Brickie news reporter 525 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: from Newsday. I was researching, but I believe you've already 526 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: identified this. Seniors in America a line were scammed one 527 00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:40,120 Speaker 1: billion billion dollars in twenty twenty from three hundred million 528 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:43,280 Speaker 1: the previous year. And that's just what we know of. 529 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:46,280 Speaker 1: A lot of them won't fess up that they have 530 00:32:46,360 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 1: been scammed. Robert, it's really it's really a tragedy. What's 531 00:32:50,160 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: going on? I mean, I think I don't think there's 532 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: a person listening to this program who has not received 533 00:32:55,600 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 1: a call, reportedly from Social Security or from the IRS 534 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 1: report ordering about scare tax returns out here on Long Island. 535 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: The PSC and G is the utility company that we 536 00:33:09,440 --> 00:33:12,200 Speaker 1: have a scam that says, you know, I'm calling from 537 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:14,400 Speaker 1: the utility company and I need your information from your 538 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:17,440 Speaker 1: utility bill looking for that kind of information. The New 539 00:33:17,520 --> 00:33:20,360 Speaker 1: York Lottery is a really big one, saying we have 540 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,600 Speaker 1: you were a winning ticket, you know, just calling people 541 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: randomly and trying to say that they have a winning 542 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:27,440 Speaker 1: lottery ticket. And all you have to do is provide 543 00:33:27,480 --> 00:33:30,080 Speaker 1: us with your debit card information so you can deposit 544 00:33:30,120 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 1: that winning lottery information. It goes on and on and on. 545 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 1: Robert Brodsky, do you know a scammer even called me? 546 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:43,400 Speaker 1: While I was an assistant district attorney prosecuting felonies every day. 547 00:33:43,440 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 1: I have been in court all day, dragged my all 548 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 1: my files to the car, got home by this time 549 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:54,760 Speaker 1: it was like seven something a clock, almost eight, and 550 00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,360 Speaker 1: maybe the day before I have been an a fenderbender, 551 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:03,040 Speaker 1: my fault. I want that on the record. And the 552 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:06,440 Speaker 1: phone rang at home. The phone home phone never rang 553 00:34:06,840 --> 00:34:09,200 Speaker 1: because I would never give out my phone number, so 554 00:34:09,239 --> 00:34:12,840 Speaker 1: I assumed it was somebody in my family, like my mom. 555 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: I picked it up, and this guy had his deep 556 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,799 Speaker 1: voice and he said, oh, he wanted to file a 557 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:25,879 Speaker 1: lawsuit against the guy that ran into me. And I said, listen, Jackass, 558 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 1: I'm a felony prosecutor in Fulton County. Now I've got 559 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:32,600 Speaker 1: your number. You're runner and this is unethical and against 560 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:37,840 Speaker 1: the law. He hung up. So, yeah, explained Troy Sleighton, 561 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:40,920 Speaker 1: what that Well, I already said, Jackass. I won't say 562 00:34:40,960 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 1: it again. Troy, explain why that was illegal and unethical. 563 00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:50,560 Speaker 1: It's called capping Nancy, and it's uh, you know, ambulance 564 00:34:50,680 --> 00:34:56,319 Speaker 1: chasing and capping are unethical and illegal for attorneys. You 565 00:34:56,400 --> 00:35:00,440 Speaker 1: can't pay a non lawyer to bring cases as to you. 566 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:04,399 Speaker 1: You're not and you're not supposed to solicit somebody when 567 00:35:04,520 --> 00:35:09,399 Speaker 1: they're most vulnerable. An attorney can't drop their card when 568 00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:12,560 Speaker 1: the ambulance is picking somebody up on the side of 569 00:35:12,600 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 1: the road after the accident. You can't go to somebody's 570 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:18,040 Speaker 1: hospital bed after they've been in an accident. You can't 571 00:35:18,040 --> 00:35:20,319 Speaker 1: go to hospital, go room to room, see who's been 572 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:23,120 Speaker 1: accidents and drop off business cards. Or to have a 573 00:35:23,200 --> 00:35:25,600 Speaker 1: non lawyer do the same thing and then sell the 574 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:28,439 Speaker 1: cases to an attorney. That's illegal. Well, was so very 575 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:32,239 Speaker 1: concerning about that was nobody outside my family had a 576 00:35:32,239 --> 00:35:35,800 Speaker 1: home number for me. Nobody and my boss, the elected 577 00:35:35,840 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 1: district attorney, so Jeff Cortez's former FBI, he had to 578 00:35:40,360 --> 00:35:43,879 Speaker 1: get it off the police report, which means he had 579 00:35:43,960 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 1: somebody within the APD, maybe a Clark. I don't know 580 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:54,359 Speaker 1: who feeding car crash victims phone numbers. Unfortunately, you know 581 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 1: that that happens. Yeah, this is one of those instances 582 00:35:57,840 --> 00:36:00,719 Speaker 1: where it probably did happen just like that. I doubt 583 00:36:00,719 --> 00:36:02,320 Speaker 1: it was a lawyer. I think it was a runner 584 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:05,279 Speaker 1: that would bring cases two lawyers. You just heard choice 585 00:36:05,320 --> 00:36:07,920 Speaker 1: late and talking about Okay, so I can't tell you 586 00:36:07,960 --> 00:36:10,880 Speaker 1: how long I researched this exact thing for the book. 587 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:13,600 Speaker 1: Don't be a victim, and I have a list on 588 00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 1: page three forty two. Take a list of this. Gene 589 00:36:16,480 --> 00:36:18,920 Speaker 1: and Rusty have call n I D learn how to 590 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:22,839 Speaker 1: use it. When you're quote grandchild calls, you'll recognize it's 591 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:27,000 Speaker 1: an unknown number. Don't buy anything from an unfamiliar company. 592 00:36:27,480 --> 00:36:31,280 Speaker 1: Legitimate businesses know you want more information, and they're happy 593 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:37,560 Speaker 1: to provide information and references. Request written materials on the offer, 594 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:41,200 Speaker 1: the phone offer, or the charity. Wait until the material 595 00:36:41,280 --> 00:36:44,880 Speaker 1: arise before you commit your money. If the material involves 596 00:36:44,920 --> 00:36:48,560 Speaker 1: a substantial amount of money, ask somebody with a finance 597 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:52,399 Speaker 1: background about it. Investigate check out the company with better 598 00:36:52,440 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: business bureau. Contact the state attorney general or the National 599 00:36:55,880 --> 00:36:59,359 Speaker 1: Fraud Information Center to find out if that company has 600 00:36:59,360 --> 00:37:03,560 Speaker 1: ever been boarded. Get the caller's name, number, street mailing address. 601 00:37:03,880 --> 00:37:06,840 Speaker 1: Ask a caller for a mailing address and then google it. 602 00:37:07,160 --> 00:37:09,680 Speaker 1: You know you can put an address into Google and 603 00:37:09,719 --> 00:37:12,680 Speaker 1: we'll pull up information. The last time the house or 604 00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:17,000 Speaker 1: the apartment was sold all kinds of information. Google details 605 00:37:17,040 --> 00:37:20,640 Speaker 1: like the company name, the caller's name. A lot could 606 00:37:20,640 --> 00:37:24,000 Speaker 1: pop up. Verify the info. Is it the right address 607 00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:28,040 Speaker 1: and number? If not, something's hinky. Before you donate to charity, 608 00:37:28,360 --> 00:37:32,719 Speaker 1: ask a percentage of your gift goes to commissions. Never 609 00:37:32,800 --> 00:37:36,600 Speaker 1: pay an advance for services. Never hand over a money 610 00:37:36,640 --> 00:37:40,720 Speaker 1: to a messenger. Gene Everett knew that one really well. 611 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:44,880 Speaker 1: Never wire money after a phone pitch. Take your time. 612 00:37:45,239 --> 00:37:49,840 Speaker 1: There's no such thing as a fee on a free prize. 613 00:37:49,880 --> 00:37:54,080 Speaker 1: That's what happened to the elder that ultimately committed suicide. 614 00:37:54,440 --> 00:37:57,800 Speaker 1: Fees and taxes. If the caller says the payments for taxes, 615 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:00,279 Speaker 1: that's against the law. And this is a calm. Give 616 00:38:00,280 --> 00:38:04,480 Speaker 1: out your credit credit card expiration dates. If you've been scammed. 617 00:38:04,840 --> 00:38:07,160 Speaker 1: Beware of callers who then call to try to help 618 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:10,000 Speaker 1: you get your money back. If you have information about 619 00:38:10,000 --> 00:38:13,399 Speaker 1: a fraud, report it saying no on the phone, it's 620 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:17,239 Speaker 1: not being rude. And never inter a deal. You don't understand. 621 00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:19,759 Speaker 1: I got so many facts in here, Tampa Tire. You 622 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:21,960 Speaker 1: got anything to add to that? Well, the biggest thing 623 00:38:22,040 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 1: that these shows and things like you're writing the book, 624 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 1: does it educates people. But you know, we have one 625 00:38:28,239 --> 00:38:31,800 Speaker 1: sad statistic in our country that less than ten percent 626 00:38:31,840 --> 00:38:35,400 Speaker 1: of our country will ever attend a safety or seminar 627 00:38:35,560 --> 00:38:40,480 Speaker 1: based on safety. And it's really because people are uneducated 628 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:45,000 Speaker 1: in this realm that people don't understand. Also these segments 629 00:38:45,040 --> 00:38:48,879 Speaker 1: that these do, these these spooking, these fishing expeditions. Right now, 630 00:38:48,920 --> 00:38:53,240 Speaker 1: it's vehicle maintenance, it's irs and it's you know, getting 631 00:38:53,239 --> 00:38:55,680 Speaker 1: a loved one out of jail now that's six months 632 00:38:55,680 --> 00:38:59,319 Speaker 1: from now, will change to beneficiary. You know, it'll change 633 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:02,720 Speaker 1: the social sury and every six months they change their ways. 634 00:39:03,160 --> 00:39:05,520 Speaker 1: So we have to pay attention and more shows like 635 00:39:05,600 --> 00:39:07,759 Speaker 1: this to educate people in the way to go. I'd 636 00:39:07,760 --> 00:39:10,680 Speaker 1: like to add something quickly in Okay, I have an 637 00:39:10,680 --> 00:39:14,000 Speaker 1: acquaintance who raises millions and millions of dollars for USC 638 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,080 Speaker 1: and he said to me about a month ago, Bethany, 639 00:39:17,200 --> 00:39:19,000 Speaker 1: you know how I get money out of people? And 640 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:22,279 Speaker 1: I said, how he goes I develop a relationship with them. 641 00:39:23,040 --> 00:39:24,839 Speaker 1: They may not give it to me today, they may 642 00:39:24,880 --> 00:39:27,880 Speaker 1: not give it to me next month. But the longer 643 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:30,520 Speaker 1: it takes for them to write that check, the guilty 644 00:39:30,600 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 1: or they feel and I'll eventually get the money that 645 00:39:33,880 --> 00:39:36,960 Speaker 1: encompasses so much of what we've already been talking about, Nancy. 646 00:39:37,480 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 1: But you said on page three forty seven, there's this list, 647 00:39:41,080 --> 00:39:44,360 Speaker 1: and one of the things that popped out was when 648 00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:47,920 Speaker 1: something doesn't pass the smell test, you feel guilty and 649 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:51,480 Speaker 1: you're afraid to ask questions, and you get isolated from 650 00:39:51,520 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 1: the people you loved, you're afraid to tell anyone else 651 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:56,719 Speaker 1: about it. Then certainly it's not a letshit. But you 652 00:39:56,760 --> 00:39:59,520 Speaker 1: don't need to have a relationship with anybody who calls 653 00:39:59,520 --> 00:40:03,839 Speaker 1: your house randomly. You don't owe them anything. They are strangers. 654 00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,600 Speaker 1: You owe to your family and your loved ones, not 655 00:40:06,760 --> 00:40:09,160 Speaker 1: somebody at the other end of a phone call to 656 00:40:09,320 --> 00:40:15,600 Speaker 1: Jeane Ebert joining us the hero today, Jane Ebert, Not 657 00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 1: everyone is as savvy, as smart, as quit witted as 658 00:40:19,640 --> 00:40:23,439 Speaker 1: you are. What is your message today, missus? Lady? My 659 00:40:23,680 --> 00:40:28,279 Speaker 1: basic message is, don't ever send anybody any kind of 660 00:40:28,320 --> 00:40:32,160 Speaker 1: money anywhere, don't ever have anybody pick it up at 661 00:40:32,160 --> 00:40:35,600 Speaker 1: your house, and basically most people should just hang up 662 00:40:35,600 --> 00:40:40,720 Speaker 1: on the scammus. You are something else, Jane Ebert. Rusty. 663 00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:43,160 Speaker 1: You got a good deal going on with your mom. 664 00:40:43,160 --> 00:40:45,200 Speaker 1: You take care of her, okay, as if she can't 665 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:50,440 Speaker 1: take care of herself, I can finally end Crime Stories 666 00:40:50,480 --> 00:40:55,600 Speaker 1: today with a smile. Nancy Gray signing off goodbye friend,