AN 86-year-old Central West woman suffering dementia has handed over $6,500 to a man who told her she owed him the money over “an unpaid bill.”
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The woman’s son, who asked not to be identified for fear of making his elderly mother more vulnerable, said the stranger went to the woman’s house, drove her to the bank while he waited outside for her to withdraw the cash, before driving her home again.
The son said there were no receipts or paperwork or evidence work has been done at his mother’s Bathurst property to support the notion the person did any type of work at the house.
And the woman’s family fear it’s not the first time she has been targeted.
In May, a similar situation occurred with the woman handing over $1250 in cash to a stranger who claimed she owed money for roof repairs which were never undertaken.
When this happened the son contacted both the bank and police.
After the most recent incident the son said a representative from the bank called him minutes after his mother made the withdrawal, because she was concerned about her walking around with such a large sum of cash.
“As soon as they called I knew something was wrong, there is no way mum could have walked into town so I knew someone must have driven her there.”
He said he went straight to her house, but the stranger was gone.
The man said his mum has severe dementia and can’t remember things that happened only minutes earlier.
“He obviously convinced her there was a bill that needed to be paid so she got in the car with him.”
Asked how his mother was after the ordeal, he said she was just “relieved the ‘bill’ had been paid.”
CCTV sourced from shops near the bank show the man getting out of his ute, then getting the elderly woman out, before sending her into the bank.
He is then seen smoking a cigarette, using his mobile phone before getting the woman back in his car after leaving the bank.
The son has also spoken to retail staff in the area who have confirmed seeing his mum and the man.
He said he couldn’t believe people would be so unscrupulous to target someone so vulnerable.
“I can block her bank account but my fear is what happens if they take her there and cant get any money from her?”