Three Barrington Police officers are being heralded for stopping a scammer from collecting $30,000 from an unsuspecting victim in a contest scam, police said.
Barrington Police Chief David Daigle said an unspecified bank in Barrington contacted officers with concerns that an elderly client was attempting to withdraw a large sum of cash under suspicious circumstances on August 28.
The bank reported that the client had already withdrawn $10,000 earlier in the day at another branch and was attempting to withdraw an additional $10,000, he said.
Upon learning this, Barrington Sergeant Chad Streff and Officers Jeff Risner and Brian Hansen immediately began efforts to safeguard the client by going to the residence, attempting multiple phone calls, and extending their search to several banks within Barrington and the surrounding communities.
They also proactively contacted neighboring branches to warn them of the situation and to prevent further withdrawals, Daigle said.
During the investigation, it was discovered that the victim had originally attempted to withdraw $30,000 in cash, but the bank refused to give the client that amount due to suspicions of fraud.
Working as a team, one officer remained at the residence while another contacted the client’s son to advise him of the ongoing scam, Daigle said.
When the client returned home with $30,000 in cash, the client was uncooperative and resistant to the officer’s efforts, Daigle said.
Despite this, the officers continued to show patience and determination in explaining the risks and protecting the victim from further loss.
Officers followed the client to the post office, where the client attempted to mail a package to an individual whose name the client could only recall after looking at a piece of paper.
Through careful observation, it became clear that the client was under the influence of a scammer, Daigle said.
With the assistance of the client’s son, it was eventually revealed that the client believed they had won $10.5 million from Publishers Clearing House and a new Mercedes, and that the $30,000 was to pay for the “taxes” for winning the prize.
“Thanks to the quick actions and persistence of our officers — and the vigilance of a local bank — a resident was spared from losing $30,000 to a scam this week,” Daigle said. “Scammers often use urgent phone calls, emails, or in-person visits to pressure their victims, and they can target anyone. If something doesn’t feel right, pause before acting and call 911.”