A caregiver is accused of stealing more than $50,000 from an elderly woman who suffers from memory loss.
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The victim, who is not being identified, was living at a high-rise for seniors, and the woman’s sister discovered the theft when she couldn’t reach her.
She was moved to a nursing home after being released from the hospital for a medical emergency. It was during that time that her sister discovered $54,000 missing from the victim’s account.
It’s a problem the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office criminal division told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell that they see often: The elderly being taken advantage of.
“Pay attention to your senior citizens, to your parents,” said Major Steven Gaynor, Cobb County Sheriff’s Office. “Pay attention to their accounts.”
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Gaynor’s team recently cracked the troubling case.
The suspect is Deborah Greene, an independent caretaker hired by the woman’s family. Greene is accused of cashing stolen checks from the victim’s apartment.
When the checks ran out, investigators say Greene sent money via Zelle to herself from the victim’s bank account. Investigators said the thefts took place over nearly a year.
Gaynor says seniors are falling victim to numerous schemes.
“They are vulnerable, and they are getting them to give them the money they would use to survive the remainder of their life,” he said.
Schemes have involved calls from fraudsters telling seniors to deposit money into Bitcoin machines or convincing them their bank account is fraudulent and they need to move their money.
Gaynor described another recent case.
“A car pulled up in her driveway, and they said, ‘Go outside, put the money in the back seat and we will put it in the bank for you,‘” he said. “And she did, almost $220,000.”
The sheriff’s office is alerting seniors to prevent them from falling victim, going to libraries and senior centers. Churches have begun running training sessions for their seniors.
The Tower at Dorsey Manor said it does not provide nursing or caretaking services to residents, and Greene is not affiliated with the company in any way.
“The Tower at Dorsey Manor is an independent senior living community where management does not provide nursing nor caretaking service to our residents. Residents and/or their families hire their own private caretakers independent of management. Deborah Greene is not nor has ever been an employee nor contractor for Columbia Residential,” the company said in a statement.
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