Bismarck Woman Loses $98,000 in Phone Scam

The 78-year-old woman overnighted cash to the fake company several times.

BISMARCK, N.D.–Police say a Bismarck woman has lost $98,000 in a scam by a caller who claimed his company had deposited too much money into her account.

Officer Lynn Wanner says the 78-year-old woman overnighted cash to the fake company several times.

Wanner says the caller told the woman there was a mistake with deposits made into her account and asked her to correct the mistakes by sending money.

Over the course of a month the woman withdrew amounts of $15,000 to $19,000 and sent cash with next-day delivery. Wanner says investigations into such scams are difficult because there’s nothing to track.

Last month Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said nearly 100 North Dakotans have lost more than $2 million so far this year due to scams.