An “astute bank employee and a quick response from police” on June 13 prevented an elderly man from losing $20,000 to a scammer, the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) reported Thursday on its blog.
According to the blog, the man was contacted by an individual posing as a Microsoft employee, who instructed him to withdraw $20,000 from his bank account to receive a supposed refund. After some transactions, the scammer claimed an overpayment and asked the victim to repay the company. The scammer then directed the man to call once he had the money, promising to collect it from his home.
The bank employee assisting the man recognized the potential scam and contacted the police. Officers arrived promptly and persuaded the man not to hand over his money. When investigators called the scammer’s number, the scammer disconnected the call and inactivated the number.