Police are searching for scam artists who duped an elderly woman out of nearly $1,000.
On Nov. 30 three men approached an 82-year-old Philadelphia woman as she shopped in a beauty supply store on the 6100 block of Woodland Ave. in Southwest Philly, according to police.
Investigators say one of the suspects showed the victim a letter that said he inherited millions of dollars from a deceased relative. He then asked her to give him $1,000 in exchange for $10,000, according to officials.
"They just slowly build her confidence by having a conversation," said Lt. John Walker of the Philadelphia Police.
Officers say the victim believed the suspect and together they headed to the Girard Check Exchange at 58th Street and Baltimore Avenue where she uses an ATM to withdraw $800.
The suspect took the cash and gave the woman a scarf filled with paper scraps instead of the $10,000 he promised, according to police.
Authorites say the two accomplices provide a sense of legitamacy to the ring leader's story and they suspect there are more victims.
"It's way over the top. These people are very skilled at what they do," Walker said.
