FL retiree lost her $135K nest egg to a scam call — and crimes targeting seniors are surging. How to protect yourself

FL retiree lost her $135K nest egg to a scam call — and crimes targeting seniors are surging. How to protect yourself Scammers are increasingly targeting older Americans, and a single convincing phone call can wipe out decades of savings. Carol Ann Moritz of Daytona Beach, Florida believed she was helping protect her bank account from fraud when she followed instructions from callers who claimed to be investigating suspicious activity. Instead, she ended up wiring more than $135,000 — nearly all of her retirement savings — to scammers posing as bank officials and federal agents. Must Read - Thanks to Jeff Bezos, you can now become a landlord for as little as $100 — and no, you don’t have to deal with tenants or fix freezers. Here's how - This 20-year-old lotto winner refused $1M in cash and chose $1,000/week for life. Now she’s getting slammed for it. Which option would you pick? - Dave Ramsey warns nearly 50% of Americans are making 1 big Social Security mistake — here’s what it is and the simple steps to fix it ASAP “I’m terrified. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep,” Moritz told WFTV (1). “That was my nest egg.” Understanding how these scams work can help you avoid becoming the next victim. Here’s what to watch for and how to stay protected. How the scam unfolded The ordeal began with a phone call from someone claiming to represent Fifth Third Bank. The caller warned Moritz that someone in Akron, Ohio, was attempting to access her account. At first, the conversation sounded routine. The caller asked Moritz to verify her identity. When she said she couldn’t remember her password, the caller transferred her to a supposed supervisor. The “supervisor” claimed the bank was cooperating with a federal investigation involving employees who were stealing customer funds. Soon after, Moritz was connected to a third person who claimed to be an FBI agent. The scammers even sent official-looking messages describing the supposed investigation, further reinforcing the illusion that the situation was legitimate. Retired FBI special agent Keith Givens, now a cyber fraud consultant, says involving multiple people in a coordinated call is common in sophisticated scams. “The more sophisticated teams will use multiple people,” Givens said in the report. “They feel if they use more than one person and put the victim on hold, it adds legitimacy.” Believing she was helping investigators catch corrupt bank employees, Moritz was instructed to wire more than $135,000 to a Bank of America account in South Florida. The payment was disguised as a business purchase as part of the supposed sting operation. It wasn’t until the next day, while travelling out of state, that Moritz realized something was wrong. By the time she contacted her bank, the money had already been moved, making recovery extremely difficult.