A “Good Samaritan” is being credited with preventing an elderly woman from losing up to $25,000 in a scam on Monday, according to a news release from the Centralia Police Department.
At about 11:47 a.m. Monday, a citizen, who was not identified by police, reported that an elderly woman was depositing large amounts of money into a Bitcoin ATM in the 1000 block of Ellsbury Street in Centralia. According to police, she was being instructed over the phone by a male with a foreign accent.
“The female was instructed to deposit $25,000, but only managed to deposit $4,800 before law enforcement arrived and informed her of the scam,” police reported. “Due to the quick intervention by the Good Samaritan and law enforcement, the female will be receiving a refund for the money she deposited.”
This case is currently under investigation.
