May 23, 2013
Wednesday, Jan. 9, 2013
EDGEFIELD COUNTY, S.C. (WRDW) -- An 88-year-old woman is out $10,000 after scammers called her at home.
Lannie Holmes doesn't trust computers or strangers calling her on her phone.
"They prey on senior citizens," the grandmother said.
The calls began three months ago.
"They called me and said I won a sweepstakes that goes up to the thousands of dollars," Holmes said.
At first, she believed the callers from Kingston, Jamaica. All of them made the same promise of big money. However, the transactions she saw were withdrawals out of her account and into theirs.
"Over $5,000 they charged on my credit card," Holmes said.
Edgefield County investigators say Holmes was scammed out of more than $10,000 total.
"I don't know where in the world I'm going to get that money," she said.
Deputies are working to piece together the crime but catching up with overseas crooks is easier said than done.
Holmes is working with her bank to try and recoup some of the money.
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