MESA, ARIZONA (3TV/CBS 5) — A cautionary tale unfolds as a Mesa resident recounts falling victim to a scam, resulting in the loss of her entire life savings. Susan Paasche-Guthrie, a 75-year-old woman, found herself ensnared in a deceptive scheme where a fraudster masqueraded as a guardian of her financial security.
Paasche-Guthrie, who had diligently paid off her debts and vehicle over the years, had been steadily building her savings as a safety net for the future. Reflecting on the ordeal, she lamented, “I’ve been setting aside these funds bit by bit as an emergency reserve for my retirement, anticipating life on a fixed income.”
The ordeal commenced with a seemingly legitimate pop-up on her computer alleging a security breach. Recounting the experience, Paasche-Guthrie revealed, “I received a message that appeared to be from Microsoft, claiming that my computer had been compromised due to extensive hacking activities, instructing me to contact a specified number.”
The individual on the other end of the line proceeded to convince her that her bank accounts were under threat and needed to be emptied immediately. “For approximately four hours, he guided me through a series of steps, instilling a false sense of security every step of the way. Eventually, I was coerced into withdrawing $25,000 from my savings account to prevent the hackers from seizing it, directing me to transfer the sum into a supposedly secure wallet,” she narrated.
Subsequently, she was instructed to liquidate all her assets and convert them into Bitcoin, a process she dutifully followed. It wasn’t until the following day that she confided in a family member about the incident. “His response was unequivocal – I had fallen prey to a scam and needed to rush to the bank immediately,” Paasche-Guthrie recollected.
Regrettably, her bank clarified that the loss was irrecoverable as she had voluntarily withdrawn the funds. The repercussions extended beyond financial distress, taking a toll on her emotional well-being. “The scammers cultivated a climate of urgency and dependency, positioning themselves as my sole saviors. I fell into their trap, complied with their demands, and suffered the consequences,” she shared.
In the aftermath, experts advise refraining from contacting the number provided in phishing alerts and recommend shutting down the affected computer promptly to mitigate risks.
Despite reporting the incident to the Mesa police, prospects of retrieving her funds appear bleak. To alleviate the financial strain, her family initiated a fundraising effort, amassing nearly $20,000 in donations.
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