LOUDON COUNTY, Tenn. — A woman from Quebec, Canada was arrested on Thursday for scamming thousands in cash from three separate victims between Loudon and Monroe counties.
The Loudon County Sheriff's Office said they received multiple calls about a new scam that is targeting grandparents.
According to LCSO, the scammer will call, act as if they are the victim's grandchild and convince them that they have been arrested and need money for bail. The scammer even uses the same nicknames that the grandchild would call the grandparent, which helps further convince the victim that they are the victim's grandchild. The scammer then puts their "attorney" on the phone with the victim so that they can give information about the "case" that the supposed grandchild was involved in.
After convincing the grandparent to withdraw cash, the scammer sets up a time to have a carrier drive to the victim's home and pick up the cash, LCSO said.
The reports that LCSO and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office took were for $20,000 each.
Valerie Soki Hangi was arrested after a traffic stop while on her way to make another $20,000 cash pickup in the Tellico Village community. Deputies found a large sum of money that was consistent with the amounts scammed by the victims, LCSO said.
LCSO learned that Hangi flew to Nashville on Oct. 14 and started making cash pickups as early as Oct. 15. She then continued to make those pickups until she was arrested on Oct. 17.
LCSO believes more victims have been scammed by Hangi. If you or anyone you know were scammed by Hangi, please call LCSO's non-emergency dispatch at 865-458-9081.