Two elderly victims scammed by two unknown men, deputies say
Courtesy: Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office
TAMPA (FOX 13) - Deputies are searching for two suspects who, they say, scammed two elderly women.
On February 27, around 12:15 p.m. the two unknown men approached an 88-year-old woman who was waiting for a bus at 803 West Waters Avenue in Tampa, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
They said they engaged in a conversation with her, causing her to miss her bus. The suspects offered to take her home, deputies say, and convinced her to withdraw an undisclosed amount of money from the Bank of America at 3439 West Hillsborough Avenue to help them collect their “lottery money.”
After, the men drove the victim to a Dollar Store located at 6303 West Water Avenue, where they asked her to go inside and purchase something for them, deputies say. When she exited, the sheriff’s office said the men were gone with her money.
Authorities say the incident is similar to one that occurred on February 16. Two men, with similar descriptions to the most recent case, approached a 74-year-old woman while she was loading her groceries into her car at Publix, located at 2724 Hillsborough Avenue West.
The victim agreed to help the men, accompanied them to her bank, and withdrew money from her account, the sheriff’s office said. The men drove her to Big Lots at 7565 Hillsborough Avenue West and told her to go inside to buy herself a drink. When she exited the store, deputies say, the men were gone.
Both male suspects were described as Hispanic men. The first suspect could be between the ages of 50 and 60, and was wearing a white shirt, black pants, black shoes and a black hat. The second suspect could be 35 years old, and was seen wearing a black shirt, khaki pants, black shoes and a black hat. It’s possible he has a Puerto Rican accent, according to officials.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at (813) 247-8200 or report an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers of Tampa Bay at 1-800-873-8477 or www.crimestopperstb.com.